An exploratory study of online forums as a collaborative learning tool

Can online discussions facilitate deep learning for students in General Education?

Studies suggest that online discussions complement teaching and students' learning. However, research also indicates that some tutors and students are uncertain about the value and quality of the learning process in online discussions. The debate and uncertainty necessitate more studies on students' learning quality and depth in online discussions. Therefore, this study aimed to explore how the quality of students' learning and posts are influenced by the deep learning approach in General Education classes through the online discussions. Data collection and analysis were done using both qualitative and quantitative strategies. For the qualitative part, students' posts were retrieved verbatim and mapped deductively with the deep and surface learning approaches, while the number of students' post were collected and analyzed descriptively. The findings indicate that most students' posts are of high quality and are grounded in the deep learning approach through their engagements in online discussions and a reflective assignment. The study concludes that online discussions can foster deep learning if instructors provide students with clear guidelines and reasonable time to engage with colleagues.

Online academic learning beliefs and strategies: a comparison of preservice and in-service early childhood teachers

Purpose

This study explored preservice and in-service early childhood teachers' online academic learning beliefs and strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

Two hundred preservice and in-service teachers respectively from Taiwan participated in this research. A focus group discussion was carried out concerning the development of the questionnaires. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed good construct validity and reliabilities of the survey.

Findings

The survey results showed that in-service teachers generally held more sophisticated learning beliefs than the preservice teachers in all scales. Also, in-service teachers responded with a higher level of online academic learning strategies than the preservice teachers did. Regarding their online experiences, preservice teachers who spent an appropriate amount of time online had more positive beliefs than those with excessive online experiences. However, preservice teachers did not reveal employment of their ICT literacy in their online academic learning strategies. It was found that those in-service teachers with more online learning experience also showed higher levels of online academic learning beliefs. They used more deep strategies in their online academic learning.

Practical implications

The findings of this study could provide insights for the development of online academic learning ability in preschool teacher training programs.

Originality/value

(1) In-service teachers generally held more sophisticated learning beliefs than the preservice teachers. (2) Preservice teachers who spent an appropriate amount of time online had more positive beliefs than those with excessive online experiences. (3) Preservice teachers did not reveal employment of their ICT literacy in their online academic learning strategies. (4) In-service teachers with more online learning experience also showed higher levels of online academic learning beliefs. They used more deep strategies in their online academic learning.