Online Discussion Boards: The Practice of Building Community for Adult Learners

For full text: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis The Journal of Continuing Higher Education in 2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/ DOI: 10.1080/07377363.2017.1274616.

Abstract

“Online education continues to grow, and the application of theory to practice becomes increasingly important as practitioners examine the impact technology has on e-classroom interaction. Adult students, in particular, look for interaction that is collaborative and student-centered. A common area for dialogue within the online classroom is the discussion board or forum, yet despite the large amount of research that has been conducted on the use of discussion boards, many online classrooms fail to effectively use the board to encourage social interaction and learning. This review of literature summarizes the research around best practices and strategies within the practice of online learning, specific to the roles of the instructor, the student, and the course design of the discussion board. Constructivist techniques used to foster communication and a sense of community help administrators and educators build environments for active user engagement. This literature review assists the practitioner to apply research-based techniques to improve the online discussion board.”

Keywords: online learning, adult students, online discussion boards, constructivist theory, instructional design

Covelli, B. (2017). Online discussion boards: The practice of building community for adult learners. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 65(2), 139-145. Taylor & Francis. DOI: 10.1080/07377363.2017.1274616