34th Annual Student Research Conference
The Impact of Discussion Boards on Student Participation and Engagement in Virtual Learning
Colin D. Drown♦
Dr. Christopher Maglio, Faculty Mentor
This research examines the impact of discussion forums on the participation of students enrolled in asynchronous learning, measured through self-reporting, the number of missing assignments, and frequency of proactive communication. The 118 students in the study are enrolled in Algebra 1 at a virtual educational institution. Students range in age from eighth to eleventh grade and do not meet basic metrics of engagement. Daily discussion forums are implemented over the course of one month-long module. Students make a discussion post responding to and asking questions about the daily lesson. They must reply to at least one other post. A preliminary survey gauges their engagement before the intervention begins, as does an exit survey once the module is over. Survey responses and data is compared before and after. Research is ongoing.
Keywords: engagement, participation, asynchronous, discussion board, learning management system
Topic(s):Education
Mathematics
Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Oral Presentation
Session: 8-4
Location: https://flipgrid.com/0fdcb13f
Time: 0:00