Online discussions are widely adopted in higher education to promote student interaction. However, prior research on online discussions falls short to estimate the effect of multiple factors collectively shape student interaction in online discussion activities. In this study, we applied a dynamic network analysis approach named relational event…

The phenomenon of silence has been investigated in face-to-face learning over the years. It is one of the main concerns in physical classes since it may prevent the quality of teaching and learning and cause a challenge for instructors to negotiate with their students comprehensively. With the advent of technology, online learning has been…

Purpose: Breakout rooms are commonly used by lecturers as a means to achieve collaborative learning in online lessons. Although breakout rooms can be effective at encouraging student engagement, interaction and learning, many students dislike being forced to interact with peers, and for some students, it can lead to feelings of anxiety and stress.…

Whole-class mathematical discussion in a problem-solving activity is recognized as a powerful pedagogical activity but also a challenge for teachers who must consider several difficulties that learners might face, particularly in terms of an overload of Working Memory and Executive Functions. This study investigates how the use of a digital…

In open, flexible, and distance learning, asynchronous online discussion persists as a popular means of interaction and collaboration. The research literature abounds with consideration of instructor roles and expectations of teachers and tools. Student-to-student interaction is widely acknowledged as a salient benefit of asynchronous online…

Previous research points that computer-supported collaborative learning is an educational approach that suits blind students, because they have high verbal capacity. The authors believe that both sighted and blind students may gain from knowledge sharing, transactions on collaborative tasks, and being aware of distinct cognitive aspects, ideas,…

This quantitative study investigates the impact of four types of discussion activities on adult learners' asynchronous online interactions. Specifically, this study aims to understand how different discussion activities incorporated into online discussion boards motivate adult learners' online participation. The four discussion activities are…

When transitioning from a familiar learning culture to a United Kingdom higher education (HE) culture, international students face a number of academic, cultural, and linguistic challenges. This paper considers the obstacles that international students experience and critically analyzes the use of social media to aid the academic transition of a…

This descriptive case study explored the presence of a community of inquiry among 4492 secondary learners enrolled in four asynchronous online discussion forums over a full year. The forums (Ethics and Philosophy, Reading, Astronomy and Space, and General Debates, among others not studied) were external to the students' schools across England. The…

Discussion is an essential component in case-based learning (CBL), as it offers students the opportunity to consider diverse perspectives, clarify confusion, and construct understanding. As a facilitator bears most of the responsibility for the overall success of CBL, understanding how facilitation strategies influence interactions during…

Multiliteracies is not only concerned with learners' meaning-making using multiple communication and representation channels but with individuals' contributions towards a collaborative and participatory culture. However, understanding collective knowledge construction in computer-mediated discussions is challenging due to large and complex digital…

A good understanding of banks and the banking industry are important in a quality business education. Focusing students early in the semester on the three major characteristics of banks and their place/importance in the economy that make them special establishes a solid foundation upon which to build a good understanding of the industry. However,…

With technological development, social networking has become a powerful resource for building relationships, improving collaboration and facilitating learning processes. However, while the majority of educational research on this topic has focused mainly on university students' use of social media, less is known about the potential of social media…

This study aims to understand how pandemic-driven remote online education has shaped foreign language learning in higher education for English language learners. Group interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from Chinese international students studying English at a UK-based university. The results revealed that these students…

This qualitative case study explored how course context, such as course design, facilitation, and community, supports students' basic psychological needs and thus shapes their situational motivation to participate in asynchronous online discussions in different course contexts. Three upper-level undergraduate courses in different disciplines were…