As purported by So , asynchronous online discussion forums, are some of the simplest computer-mediated communication tools that teachers can easily integrate into their teaching to extend discussions beyond classroom contexts. According to Sheri Cyprus , an online forum is also known as a message board, online discussion group, bulletin board or web forum.
It differs from a blog. An online forum is a discussion area on a website whereby members can post discussions, read and respond to posts by other forum members. A forum can revolve around any subject in an online community. Like other internet-based learning environments, online forums provide a way for maintaining communication for learners who are not able to meet face-to-face or who prefer logging-on at different times Sanchez- Sweatman Online forums are a kind of computer mediated communication which allows individual to communicate with others by posting written messages to exchange ideas.
It uses asynchronous type of communication Santosa et. Nelson postulated that an online forum can be defined as an accessible group communication space. Proper utilization of online forums can enhance the effectiveness of communication.
Online forums provide many benefits to students and teachers. In a research conducted by Teine , students have been found to be in favor of the self-paced, self-regulated feature of asynchronous discussions compared to face-to-face discussions. On the other hand, Callan , states that online forums create a discussion environment.
Everything that gets posted gets read over and over again. Online forums rarely turn into heated arguments as people are given time to research and consider their comments before replying. This in turn, makes high-quality discussion. Smith points out that well structured and appropriately facilitated online discussion can provide a learning environment that allows the immediate application of new information to learners' personal and professional lives.
Besides, online forums are more flexible compared to face to face communication as they provide time to reflect and think and allow both introverted and extroverted students to be involved in online discussions.
Chinedu expresses that by participating in online forums, access to knowledge is free. Futhermore, Chinedu posits that forum members could willingly share their wealth of knowledge and experience with other members. In return, every member of the forum can benefit from this infusion of free knowledge.
Here are some potential benefits of regular online forum participation according to Pavlina :. There has been evidence that the messages composed by students in online forums include longer solutions for problem-solving, and consist of deeper reflections compared to face-to-face discussions Hara et al.
Peterson and Caverly established in their research that online discussions build a motivating social practice of current generation students, who use technology to contact friends and family throughout the day. In online forums, students develop their autonomy in language learning. Each participant is given more authority to shape or lead the discussion in the direction they prefer, while teachers may have relatively less control over the learning interactions Choi et al.
There are numerous characteristics of a good online forum. Martyn discerned seven elements of a good online forum.
They are:. In addition, according to Peterson and Caverly , good online forums provide a social presence, in which students and instructor are able to present themselves as "real people" and communicate with their personality. A well-structured online discussion forum can provide students with extensive practice in writing. The online forum allows opportunities for the facilitation of curricular objectives via modern technology.
Online discussion forums provide an authenticity in writing and therefore serve as a meaningful supplement to the writing curriculum Pauley Aileen Ng in her study discovered that the implementation of the online forum appears to provide reinforcement tasks to enable students to practice their writing.
Besides that, the online forum also facilitates collaborative learning. Students could share their ideas and opinions in order to produce better quality writing as compared to if the tasks were to be completed independently.
The study showed that most students of both universities felt comfortable writing online and they wrote more than ever before. They used the forum more actively than in a face-to-face classroom or chat. In turn, some students also mentioned that they liked to read what other students posted in online forums. In a study among twenty-five Chinese and Kiwi learners, Gerbric encountered that online forums provide opportunities specifically for particular groups of students.
Chinese students found the virtual and text-based nature of the medium allowed them to enter discussions more easily and they felt more comfortable with their written responses compared to face-to-face discussions. A number of studies have found that online forums are beneficial in developing communication skills Abrams ; Blake Holmes acknowledged a period of increased communication between online participants of his study after 10 days of interaction on online forum and asserted that input from teachers or instructors during this period led to maximized learning opportunities.
Scott and Ryan in their study discovered that online members become more engaged in discussions and interacted effectively when they were set appropriate tasks.
For an example, a complex task that requires research and discussion is more suitable for small groups to work on collaboratively. When students are given problems related to their prior experience, the discussions show higher levels of interaction, and the participants show more passion for the topic Puntambekar Peterson and Caverly in their study discovered that through online forums, teachers are able to document the growth of their students' ability to support a point in their messages.
Students improved their ability to respond to a classmate and to make a point supported with evidence. Online forums are a good way of communicating, especially when the teacher or lecturer is unavailable. In concurrence with the statement, Yu affirmed that students were more comfortable and less aggressive when participating in online forums. Online forums also offered more equal opportunities for group members to voice their opinions.
Research conducted by Yang shows that students demonstrated very high levels of interaction among group members. In a study carried out by Schellens and Valcke , , asynchronous discussion forums attained a higher proportion of higher phases of knowledge creation compared to face to face discussions. This occurred due to the vast majority of communication in the asynchronous environment was task oriented. The online forum is an ideal place to put a learning community and its learning objects on the same page Harman and Koohang In order to offer a successful discussion forum, teachers need to be fully skilled in practical use of the sites and committed to engaging with them, believing in their relevance and benefit for students and willing to spend dedicated time every week on the discussion forum with students.
As Salmon advises, teachers need to take time to induct students to the online discussion tools and focus on familiarization and socialization into the online forum from the outset. Anderson et al. Aileen Ng. XIV, No. Anderson, T. The virtual conference: Extending professional education in cyberspace. Abrams, Z. The effect of synchronous and asynchronous CMC on oral performance in German.
Modern Language Journal, 87 2 , — Blake, C. Potential of text-based internet chats for improving oral fluency in a second language. The Modern Language Journal, 93 2 , Callan D..
Pros and cons of having a discussion forum. Chinedu E. Seven Benefits of Internet Forums. Cyprus, S. What is an Internet Forum? Choi, I. It allows the access to both registered and guest users. The users can ask or answer the questions and can discuss various alternate answers. The users of stack overflow can earn reputation points and badges on the basis of positive and negative votes received on the answers. The website was made available in and slowly making its charm all around. It is one of the most popular website.
It was started in December and since then, making waves with the television viewers across the globe. The users can discuss on various television serials and provide their views. The other users can give positive and negative vote on various answers. The guest users can see the answers but to answer the questions, the users need to be registered with Yahoo! Currently, it is not accepting any new questions but you can still browse through the already posted questions.
It is closed down in December , but the archives are still available. It is a big contributor for trending the internet culture. Since I had agreed to contribute only after at least one student had responded, I found myself having to write very little, as most of the previous responders had worked out the correct answers.
In subsequent semesters I asked that two students weigh in before I would respond, which reduced the workload for me even further. In the second semester that I used the forum, I also let students know that they should expect to wait at least 24 hours for me to respond.
While I often responded in less time than 24 hours, letting students know that they should expect to wait meant that by the time I responded to questions several students had often already weighed in.
During the first semester that I used an online forum, I also offered extra-credit points for participation in the discussion forum.
This was very helpful in motivating students to try out the forum. Surprisingly, after they posted once they tended to post repeatedly even though they were not earning additional extra-credit points for subsequent posts.
In the second semester that I used an online discussion tool, I included information about the review forums in my course syllabus so that students were aware from the beginning that the forums would be available as a tool for review.
I suggest being clear about your expectations for student participation in an online discussion at the beginning of the semester, if at all possible. Do not assume that your students will find a discussion tool as straightforward as you do.
Provide detailed instructions for how to use the forum in class.
0コメント