Research finds that engaging students in online deliberations requires three components: (1) designing a space specifically for deliberations, (2) a structured pattern that requires consistent interactions, and (3) a process guided by academically guided outcomes. Using these three components, deliberations become a routine where students share…

This research aims to develop an online Project-Based Collaborative Learning (PBL) model design by utilizing an asynchronous Online Discussion Forum (ODF) that can systematically direct teachers or lecturers as facilitators in learning, and how experts think about the design. Using the Research and Development (R&D) method, this design was…

Online instructors have identified several issues that must be addressed to facilitate better online learning experiences, including authentic experiential education, building community, technology for remote learning, and supporting learners. Online forums are often used by users to express their frustrations, feelings, jokes, and even…

This study explores the student perception of traditional discussion boards in online courses and their effectiveness in building connections and enhancing learning. The results indicate that, while online students recognize the importance of connecting with others, traditional discussion boards are ineffective in helping students connect.…

In this article, I blend a review of existing research, results from an original qualitative study, and a decade of personal experience in order to examine the facilitation of significant learning experiences in asynchronous online courses. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that students who enroll in online courses do so for reasons of…

Students aspiring to become teachers in public schools often find it necessary to complete their college degrees online. They will, of course, need to have the required skills that those graduates from face-to-face institutions possess. One of those skills is to be able to collaborate with colleagues in small group settings. This paper…

Online learning is growing rapidly and shows no signs of slowing down. This growth requires strategies to make online teaching as efficient and effective as possible in order to provide students with a quality education. One of the important factors that help support student learning is timely, quality feedback on assignments and in discussion…

Emergent technologies and communication channels have evolved over time and now offer more connected interactivity between students, their peers, course content, and their instructor. Yet, many who teach in the online environment continue to utilize the traditional forms of communication (such as discussion boards and email). This article explores…

An online discussion forum has the potential to facilitate collaborative learning that improves students' critical thinking. To explain the collaborative online learning experience, the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model has been proposed by a group of researchers. The model captures an in-depth and meaningful collaborative online learning process…

Online discussion boards are often used in traditional courses, hybrid courses, and fully online courses. Online chats and discussions can be particularly useful in fully online courses, as these communication connections are often students' only means of connecting with each other and sharing ideas in an open forum. While traditional face-to-face…

This paper examines online versus face-to-face organizational structure and pedagogy in terms of education and the teaching and learning process. The author distinguishes several important terms related to distance/online/e-learning, virtual learning and brick-and-mortar learning interactions and concepts such as asynchronous and synchronous…

An important component of internships is the connection between students, universities and employers. "High-quality internships... encourage contact between faculty and students as well as develop cooperation among students," (Implementing and Assessing Internships, 2002, 67). This "good practice" must exist to ensure good…

In a face-to-face classroom, the instructor can easily diagnose students' motivational status by observing their facial expressions and postures, but such cues are absent in an online classroom. Therefore, online instructors often estimate students' motivational level based on their online behavior such as the number of messages they post, and…