Designing Asynchronous Online Discussion Environments: Recent Progress and Possible Future Directions

Asynchronous online discussion environments are important platforms to support learning. Research suggests, however, threaded forums, one of the most popular asynchronous discussion environments, do not often foster productive online discussions naturally. This paper explores how certain properties of threaded forums have affected or constrained the quality of discussions, and argues that developing alternative discussion environments is highly needed to offer better support for asynchronous online communication. Using the Productive Discussion Model developed by Gao, Wang & Sun (2009), we analyzed current work on four types of asynchronous discussion environments that have been developed and researched: constrained environments, visualized environments, anchored environments and combined environments. The paper has implications for developing future asynchronous discussion environments. More specifically, future work should aim at (a) exploring new environments that support varied goals of learning; (b) integrating emerging technologies to address the constraints of current environments; (c) designing multi-functional environments to facilitate complex learning, and (d) developing appropriate instructional activities and strategies for these environments

Social interaction as a contributor to significant learning outcomes in online instruction

There has been a dramatic increase in online coursework in higher education over the past decade. According to Allen and Seaman (2010), there was a 17% growth in online enrollments between 2007 and 2008. While many institutions offer only single courses online, others offer entire degrees and students at all educational levels (from primary school through graduate school) are choosing to participate in courses through a distance format, including hybrid and fully online options

‘Seeing the bigger picture’: a post-graduate online learning community facilitates political competence for occupational therapists

© 2019, © 2019 UCU. Occupational therapists are increasingly required to work beyond traditional health-care settings in new and emerging community roles. This study explored the learning experiences of a cohort of international students studying an online post-graduate module aimed at facilitating political competence. The evaluation used an ethnographic approach and methods included online data from online communication tools: semi-structured interviews, and tutors’ reflective diaries. Data were subjected to thematic analysis. Results showed shifts in students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes in seeing the bigger picture; developing collaborative partnerships and navigating the politics of practice at the margins of personal, political and professional positions. Themes from learning which promoted changes were interacting with online resources, valuing and sharing experiences, a safe and supportive environment, integrated learning and assessment, critical self and peer review. Importantly the democratic approach of online learning was shown to align with the principles of political and critical occupational therapy practice. Online learning within an international community can extend opportunities for developing professional knowledge and behaviours in the politics of community-based practice

Old Concepts, New Tools: An Action Research Project on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Teacher Education

Abstract Social learning has long been seen as a positive direction in education with many advantages for learners. This paper describes an ongoing action research project carried out by a teacher educator at a pre-service teacher education college using social learning in her teaching through the use of computer-supported collaborative learning methods and tools. The paper traces the action research cycles, including analysis of the data collected that facilitated the transition from one cycle to the next. These data comprise class feedback, college student satisfaction surveys, students' reflective writing, and content analysis of online cooperative interaction. The paper concludes with a suggestion for an additional cycle in which an entire course will be offered through a Facebook page instead of the institutional learning management system

Virtual Learning Communities: Success Factors and Challenges. In:

Abstract: Despite their didactical potential many Virtual Learning Communities (VLCs) fail in enhancing learning outcomes. Therefore, we synthesise factors most critical for establishing a successful VLC. Applying a structured literature review, we searched for studies dealing with VLCs in the well known databases Business Source Premier, Science Direct and ERIC. We identified, classified and synthesised 64 relevant papers. Results indicate that critical success factors include a strong instructor that acts in different facilitation roles, face-to-face meetings that help establishing social ties and well structured small-group assignments that scaffold the learning process. Main challenges are a lack of common goals, feelings of inhibition and technical problems. Based on the review, we offer concrete advice for instructors building up VLCs. We suggest that future research should focus on the design of methods and tools for instructors to facilitate the learning process in a less resource demanding way