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Exploring Online Threaded Discussions: Purpose, Goals, and Interaction in Technical Classes

This dissertation investigates the purposes, goals, and objectives set by online instructors for threaded discussions, particularly in technical and non-technical classes. Through interviews with 30 instructors and analyses of discussion transcripts, insights are drawn about how faculty evaluate the success of these discussions and their social or cognitive value. The study also examines the influence of instructor and student characteristics, along with academic disciplines, on the effectiveness of online discussions, shedding light on the challenges and strategies for engaging students in technical learning environments.

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Exploring Online Threaded Discussions: Purpose, Goals, and Interaction in Technical Classes

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  1. Technical Classes Online:A Different Breed of Learning? Paula San Millan Maurino, Ph.D. Francine Federman, Ph.D. Lorraine Greenwald, Ph.D. Farmingdale State College State University of New York .

  2. Dissertation • Online Threaded Discussions: Purposes, Goals and Objectives • Rationale for dissertation • Interaction cannot be evaluated until instructor’s purposes, goals and objectives are known first

  3. Methodology • Interviewed 30 online instructors at Farmingdale State • Analyzed “starter” questions • Analyzed database transcripts • Focus groups from private colleges

  4. Research Questions • Main Research Question: • What are the purposes, goals and objectives set by online instructors for the utilization of threaded discussions? • Five Sub Questions

  5. Sub Research Questions • How do faculty evaluate the success and value of online discussions? • Are threaded discussions valued for social or cognitive purposes or both? • Do instructor characteristics influence the purposes, goals and objectives? • Do student characteristics influence the purposes, goals and objectives of online threaded discussions?

  6. Sub Research Question 5 • Do academic discipline and the educational level of students affect the purpose and objectives set by the instructor for threaded discussions within online courses? • Lower level vs. Higher level • Discipline • Technical vs. Nontechnical

  7. Percent of Instructors Teaching Lower Level, Upper Level, and Both Lower and Upper Level Classes Lower Level Both 30% 37% Upper Level 33% Upper and Lower Level

  8. Upper Level vs. Lower Level • Lower Level • More hand holding needed/supervision • Students have more time to participate • More enthusiastic • Higher Level • More experienced, mature • More to offer a discussion • Classes are so diverse, level does not matter

  9. Discipline/Academic School • Did NOT have a strong effect on the goals set or use of discussions • Did affect perceptions of quality/success • More Arts and Sciences instructors considered their discussions successful

  10. Discipline/Academic School • Best courses for discussion • liberal arts and humanities courses such as literature, philosophy, history and psychology • Worst courses for discussion • math classes such as calculus and statistics and business/programming classes such as accounting or database.

  11. Definition of Technical • Researcher’s Definition • A course devoted to learning a specific skill. • Determined by instructor • Could be in any academic school/discipline

  12. Percent of Instructors Teaching Technical, Non-Technical and Both Technical and Non-Technical Classes Both Technical 23% 27% Non-Technical 50% Technical vs. Non-Technical

  13. Technical vs. Nontechnical • No pattern/relationship between • Level and technical nature of class • Just as many lower level class rated technical as upper level • No relationship between faculty profile and technical nature of class

  14. Technical vs. NonTechnical • Technical classes seen as unique and different • In interviews & source documents • What makes a technical class different? • Devoted to learning a specific skill • Main focus and objective • Students immersed in “doing” or “making” • NOT general knowledge foundation • Offline • Classes may be taught in a lab • May not have class discussion or participation

  15. Focus and Objective of the Course • Concerns expressed about moving a technical class online • May change nature and focus • Active to passive learning? • Is talking about an activity as important as doing it?

  16. Discussion topics – What to talk about • Hard to find topics to discuss • Current trends and events most popular • Less likely to do so – main objective was making or doing • Students see discussion as “busy work” • Participate only because it is required

  17. Student Time Constraints • Adding discussion increases time students must put in to complete course requirements • Alternative • Shorten time allocated to hands-on activities • Does this affect successful achievement of course objectives and learning outcomes?

  18. Time Delay • Delayed response by instructor may be critical • Minor correction made by a “live” instructor in minutes may require days to correct online

  19. Time Constraints of Instructors • If time lags are more important, must the instructor be accessible more often? • Are synchronous meetings necessary? • Are online office hours necessary?

  20. Additional Requirements • Students may need specific software programs or equipment • Students need to be able to successfully load and set up equipment themselves • Should the instructor allow extra time at the start of the semester for this setup? • Problems with setup? • Can results of the technical activity be • Transferred between student and teacher • Student and other students?

  21. Interaction Shift • Current literature points to need for and benefit of group and social interaction • Technical classes may have different needs in this area • Some students need more one-on-one interaction • Some students don’t need any – “they just get it” • Need for teacher presence is determined by whether particular students “get it”

  22. Interaction Shift (cont.) • More one-to-one interaction for some students, may leave less time for other students and group interaction • Group interaction often involves one student asking others for help • Change to social dynamics of class? • Are stronger students willing to help and provide scaffolding for weaker students?

  23. Administrative Concerns • Workload requirements • Size of class • Can curriculum be modified for online classes? • Should curriculum be modified for online classes? • Are all classes suited to the online format?

  24. Implications • Online technical instructors may need to rethink strategies • Can individual learning activities be turned into group activities? • Break up hands-on activities into pieces and have the group put them together? • Are different textbooks/hand outs/lecture materials needed?

  25. Implications • Connect the discussions to the hands on activities • Use discussions to decrease work load • To answer individual questions • To achieve teacher presence • To allow one student to help another

  26. Thank you! Paula Maurino Farmingdale State University

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