Online Discussion Boards: A Framework for Improving the Quality of Participation

Online classes allow the convenience of learners to connect and retrieve information at any time. One of the most important activities from online classes is the interaction among students using an online discussion board. Discussion board members make contributions to the learning community in two ways. Initially, by responding to the facilitators’ initial (triggering) posts, and later by addressing peers’ initial posts. One of the most important challenges for students in a discussion board is how to engage thoroughly so they can create new knowledge and thought provoking exchange of ideas and experiences. Therefore, an online discussion board would become the perfect platform where people’s interactions can convey a thought provoking way of co-creating relevant and applicable knowledge. By following a structured approach to participate in discussion boards, learners would increase the theory understanding and its practical application from peer’s perspective. Consequently, they will add value to a discussion through disagreeing, framing counterarguments, or providing examples. The purpose of this poster is to present key factors that enhance online discussion and then propose a step-by-step framework to improve students’ participation. By following a structured approach to online discussion board participation, learners increase the likelihood of advancing their knowledge through significant interaction