TY - JOUR
T1 - The Effects of Using Online Q&A Discussion Forums with Different Characteristics as a Learning Resource
AU - Liu, Eric Zhi Feng
AU - Cheng, Shan Shan
AU - Lin, Chun Hung
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - Online Q&A discussion forums have recently become important information resources for students and studies have shown that online discussion forums have a positive influence on learning outcomes. However, it remains unclear how the specific characteristics of these forums contribute to this effect. This paper employed a set of evaluative criteria based on the tenets social cognitive theory to classify Q&A discussion forums according to the features they provide and the quality of the user experience. Experiments were conducted to determine how the characteristics of online Q&A discussion forums influence discussion behavior, the quality of discourse, and learning performance. Statistical results reveal that students using more elaborate online Q&A discussion forums are more likely to actively participate in online discussions, engaging at a higher cognitive level, and enjoying superior learning performance when compared to those using forums that are more rudimentary.
AB - Online Q&A discussion forums have recently become important information resources for students and studies have shown that online discussion forums have a positive influence on learning outcomes. However, it remains unclear how the specific characteristics of these forums contribute to this effect. This paper employed a set of evaluative criteria based on the tenets social cognitive theory to classify Q&A discussion forums according to the features they provide and the quality of the user experience. Experiments were conducted to determine how the characteristics of online Q&A discussion forums influence discussion behavior, the quality of discourse, and learning performance. Statistical results reveal that students using more elaborate online Q&A discussion forums are more likely to actively participate in online discussions, engaging at a higher cognitive level, and enjoying superior learning performance when compared to those using forums that are more rudimentary.
KW - Discussion behaviors
KW - Learning performance
KW - Online discussion forum
KW - Online learning resource
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84885633601&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s40299-013-0072-2
DO - 10.1007/s40299-013-0072-2
M3 - 期刊論文
AN - SCOPUS:84885633601
SN - 0119-5646
VL - 22
SP - 667
EP - 675
JO - Asia-Pacific Education Researcher
JF - Asia-Pacific Education Researcher
IS - 4
ER -