Online Discussion Boards: The Practice of Building Community for Adult Learners

Covelli, Bonnie J.

doi:10.1080/07377363.2017.1274616

Cited by 36 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…As of the fall of 2018, over 35% of undergraduate students and 40% of graduate students were enrolled in at least one online course [ 39 ]. Student perspectives on the COI model in our study are consistent with assertions that active engagement and effective communication are essential in online learning communities [ 14 ] and provide an opportunity to socialize and feel more connected [ 38 , 40 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the importance of being able to reach students remotely, and has confirmed both the benefits and the challenges of online education.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the importance of being able to reach students remotely, and has confirmed both the benefits and the challenges of online education. The discussion board has emerged as a crucial methodology for instructors to provide interactive, active, and collaborative learning [ 14 , 38 , 40 ]. Some even argue that the best teaching occurs in asynchronous online discussion forums [ 38 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The community of inquiry (COI) framework emerged within a study as researchers sought ways to code and analyze computer-mediated communication such as asynchronous online discussion forums; however, this framework has also been used to support online pedagogy as the basis of cognitive, social, and teaching presence [ 13 ]. One of the most important components of online pedagogy is active engagement, and discussion forums are effective instructional strategies for fostering collaborative learning in varied domains [ 14 ]. Categories and indicators for each of the three elements of presence are sufficiently broad to be useful in analysis of transcripts but specific enough to be meaningful [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nursing Students’ Perceptions about Effective Pedagogy: Netnographic Analysis

et al. 2021

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Background Effective pedagogy that encourages high standards of excellence and commitment to lifelong learning is essential in health professions education to prepare students for real-life challenges such as health disparities and global health issues. Creative learning and innovative teaching strategies empower students with high-quality, practical, real-world knowledge and meaningful skills to reach their potential as future health care providers. Objective The aim of this study was to explore health profession students’ perceptions of whether their learning experiences were associated with good or bad pedagogy during asynchronous discussion forums. The further objective of the study was to identify how perceptions of the best and worst pedagogical practices reflected the students’ values, beliefs, and understanding about factors that made a pedagogy good during their learning history. Methods A netnographic qualitative design was employed in this study. The data were collected on February 3, 2020 by exporting archived data from multiple sessions of a graduate-level nursing course offered between the fall 2016 and spring 2020 semesters at a large private university in the southeast region of the United States. Each student was a data unit. As an immersive data operation, field notes were taken by all research members. Data management and analysis were performed with NVivo 12. Results A total of 634 posts were generated by 153 students identified in the dataset. Most of these students were female (88.9%). From the 97 categories identified, four themes emerged: (T) teacher presence built through relationship and communication, (E) environment conducive to affective and cognitive learning, (A) assessment and feedback processes that yield a growth mindset, and (M) mobilization of pedagogy through learner- and community-centeredness. Conclusions The themes that emerged from our analysis confirm findings from previous studies and provide new insights. Our study highlights the value of technology as a tool for effective pedagogy. A resourceful teacher can use various communication techniques to develop meaningful connections between the learner and teacher. Styles of communication will vary according to the unique expectations and needs of learners with different learning preferences; however, the aim is to fully engage each learner, establish a rapport between and among students, and nurture an environment characterized by freedom of expression in which ideas flow freely. We suggest that future research continue to explore the influence of differing course formats and pedagogical modalities on student learning experiences.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nursing Students’ Perceptions about Effective Pedagogy: Netnographic Analysis

et al. 2021

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“…There is an increasing amount of interest in improving the instruction in online learning through specific pedagogy around teaching practices. For example, educators have numerous ways to host asynchronous online discussions, including using text-based, videobased, or audio-based discussions in a learning management system (Covelli, 2017). In a mixed-methods study, Zydney et al (2012) researched discussion boards and found instructor interaction to be an important element in the discussion board.…”

Section: Best Practices In Online Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 Induced Transition from Classroom to Online Mid Semester: Case Study on Faculty and Students’ Preferences and Opinions

Roy

Covelli

2020

hlrc

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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate faculty and students’ reactions to the COVID-19 emergency move to online classes. The goal was to better inform instructional strategies to be used in similar circumstances and to inform best practices in online pedagogy. Method: Online surveys were administered to students and faculty near the end of the semester to evaluate different aspects of the transition. Classes included in the study were scheduled as full-semester, on-campus classes but made an emergency switch to online post-spring break, after eight weeks. Results: Students’ and faculty’s comfort levels at the time of the switch depended on the amount of prior experience they had in online teaching and learning. Individual students and faculty experienced varying degrees of ease of adjustment to the switch in format from in-class to online. Faculty had to adapt quickly to determine the best way to replicate the in-class experience. Many faculty would depend on familiarity with technology and creativity with its usage. To varying degrees, comfort level improved as the semester progressed for both faculty and students. Still, a majority of students expressed less interest than before in taking online classes. Conclusions: The level of preparedness of faculty and students determined the outcome of this natural experiment. The adjustment was easier for those with prior experience with the online format and/or for those who felt comfortable with the format. Implication for Practice: As faculty and students prepare to return to the classroom, consideration can be given to best practices in online pedagogy to support students and faculty. Our findings point to the need for institutional preparedness for unforeseen circumstances.

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“…In response to this finding, a recent review of research literature on supporting adult students in distance learning programs called for educators to “work toward promoting community and relational interaction within the online classroom” and focus on “course design techniques that help to promote a constructivist and student-centered discussion” (Covelli, 2017, p. 144). DeNoyelles et al.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Building Community in Asynchronous Online Higher Education Courses Through Collaborative Annotation

Adams

Wilson

2020

Journal of Educational Technology Systems

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This design-based research study examines how a collaborative annotation tool, Perusall, supported the development of community within an asynchronous online graduate course. Students read and engaged with assigned texts uploaded to Perusall each week, providing numerous opportunities for students to interact and collaborate with each other using the tool’s various sharing and communication features. Both text interactions and peer-to-peer interactions on Perusall increased throughout the course, with peer-to-peer interactions increasing at a greater rate, indicative of community growth within the course. Collaborative annotation tools capture students’ thinking and processing in the moment, more closely mirroring the learning that one might see in a face-to-face class when students discuss content with their instructor and/or classmates. This study offers insights for teachers, teacher educators, and school leaders about new approaches for developing community in online educational contexts, especially considering the drastic shift to online learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Online Discussion Boards: The Practice of Building Community for Adult Learners

Cited by 36 publications

References 20 publications

Nursing Students’ Perceptions about Effective Pedagogy: Netnographic Analysis

Nursing Students’ Perceptions about Effective Pedagogy: Netnographic Analysis

COVID-19 Induced Transition from Classroom to Online Mid Semester: Case Study on Faculty and Students’ Preferences and Opinions

Building Community in Asynchronous Online Higher Education Courses Through Collaborative Annotation

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