This qualitative study explored asynchronous online discussions (AODs) in terms of: (1) whether students interacted effectively with each other, (2) how moderators facilitated discussions, (3) whether students achieved higher levels of thinking about discussion content, and (4) how students demonstrated engagement with provided learning resources.…

Supporting productive peer-to-peer interaction is a central challenge in online courses. Although cooperative learning research provides robust evidence for the positive outcomes of face-to-face cooperative learning (Johnson & Johnson, 1989), online modes of cooperative learning have provided mixed results. This study examines the effects of…

In online discussion forums, many students' posts never receive a response, but it remains unclear whether this makes them feel ignored and causes emotional pain, negative social perceptions, and threatens fundamental psychological needs. Two studies support this prediction. Using an observational design, Study 1 showed that when students felt…