Online discussion boards are commonly used to help students collaborate and engage in interpersonal and social behavior. However, students often report dissatisfaction with discussion boards which can have a negative impact on course dissatisfaction due to the students' lack of motivation to complete the learning activity. Based on…

Learning groups' conversations in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments result in significant information regarding the content of the course. This information is beneficial for instructors to analyze learners' activities during their collaboration process. In understanding these activities and performance of learners, the…

The increasingly prevalent use of Internet in schools and homes has resulted in asynchronous online discussion becoming an increasingly common means to facilitate dialogue between instructors and students, as well as students and students beyond the boundaries of their physical classrooms. This article is organized into two main sections. In the…

A "cognote" system was developed for coding electronic discussion groups and promoting critical thinking. Previous literature has provided an account of the strategy as applied to several academic settings. This paper addresses the research around establishing the inter-rater reliability of the cognote system. The findings suggest three indicators…

Outlines an approach for post-secondary educators to improve the quality of electronic discussion groups. Using a template of macros constructed in Microsoft Word, the authors explain a system of coding called cognotes and discuss an evaluation method where higher order critical thinking skills are given greater value toward higher grades.…

Describes a case study involving the implementation of computer-mediated communications via the Internet linking two university instructional design classes in two different countries. Includes examples from student discussions, demonstrates the impact of discussions on the design projects, and considers access to computers and implications for…

Reports on a study that examined undergraduate student pairs carrying out an electronic discussion task in a synchronous computer mediated communication system. Discusses collaborative argumentation; focusing; knowledge construction; learning processes; comparative analyses of dialog between tutor and student; and peer coaching. (Contains 33…

This paper reports on a two-year exploratory study to determine the viability of voice-based threaded discussions forums as a means of stimulating discussion and understanding of weekly readings as part of a large undergraduate communications course. From March to June 2001, 600 students participating in a large introduction to communication…

Online computer conferences used to assist distance learning courses often fail because the moderator-usually the instructor responsible for the conference-is not properly trained in techniques that build a community of learners. It has often been assumed that the skills required to create a vibrant classroom discussion translate easily to an…

Examines the effect of group size on students' behavior in asynchronous, nonmandatory instructional discussion groups. Focuses on four main questions on whether group size: affects the proportion of learner-learner and instructor-learner interactions; influences number of messages instructors post; have an effect on number of contributions that…

Discussions of distance education courses develop according to needs/interests of conference participants, course requirements, and nature of the instructor's online facilitation. Findings of this research suggest other factors. Analysis of threads and their growth patterns reveals a bias in favor of elongated note structures, explained by a…

This case study describes the use of World Wide Web discussion pages and examines the evaluation of online communication protocols in one graduate class. The study begins by describing the theories and grounding literature that guided the development of the online discussion site. The study also describes the process used to develop the online…

Discusses how the use of a newsgroup with elementary preservice teachers enabled discussion on classroom management, course-related, and controversial issues. Using this electronic format, students also supported each other through decision-making processes and stressful situations. The electronic discussion group became a forum where students…

Investigates students' own interpretations of their contribution to computer-mediated discussions. Subjects were 20 students between the ages of 15 and 16, who participated in computer supported collaborative learning inquiry in literature. Results show how individual students interpret their contribution to the collaborative knowledge…

Discussion of asynchronous communication in online learning environments focuses on a collaborative, constructivist discussion that considered what constitutes acceptable participation in an online doctoral forum. Presents selections from a class discussion and concludes that students see the value of counting contributions even though they object…