ERIC Number: EJ799046
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Nov
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0360-1315
EISSN: N/A
Attracting Student Participation in Asynchronous Online Discussions: A Case Study of Peer Facilitation
Hew, Khe Foon; Cheung, Wing Sum
Computers & Education, v51 n3 p1111-1124 Nov 2008
Previous research studies on how to promote student participation in asynchronous online discussions have largely focused on the role of the instructor or tutor as facilitators. Not many investigated student facilitation. This article reports a qualitative study examining the facilitation techniques used by student facilitators to attract their course mates to participate in asynchronous online discussions. Data were collected from the students' reflection logs and students' online postings. To explore the extent to which student participation in an online discussion forum is successful, we looked at the depth of discussion threads. We deemed a student facilitator to have successfully attracted other students to participant if the discussion threads had a depth of six or more levels of students' postings. We then examined in detail and reported the facilitation techniques that were exhibited by the student facilitators. Results showed that seven facilitation techniques were employed; the most frequently used were Socratic questioning and sharing personal opinions or experiences. We end by exploring potential implications for practice and for future research. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Computer Mediated Communication, Student Participation, Peer Relationship, Computer Uses in Education, Peer Influence, Group Discussion, Questioning Techniques, Personal Narratives
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A