Title
Creating Rigor in Online Course Discussions
Topic
Technology and Teaching, Innovative Teaching Strategies, Critical Thinking
Panel Title
Getting Better Online
Session Abstract
As post-secondary education coursework moves to entirely online formats, questions arise about the rigor of this alternate mode of delivery. Predominantly, concerns include suspicions about the nature of student engagement in an online environment. Along with skepticism about meaningful learning outcomes, critics of online course delivery doubt the rigor of teaching and learning without face to face meetings.
The rigor of an online course is largely determined by the type of student engagement that occurs along with resulting learning outcomes. Student engagement occurs largely through online discussion boards. Although best practices exist in building community and engaging students, variance in online course design and implementation limits the generalizability of existing research regarding rigor. Therefore, the development of evaluative research that assesses student impact of online teaching and learning is recommended.
In order to assess course rigor, a study was conducted to determine the nature of students’ participation in an online discussion board. Student responses to weekly discussion board prompts were downloaded and studied. Postings were analyzed for depth and complexity using an existing conceptual framework. Additionally, all student postings were scored using a rubric that assesses the relationship of prompts to learning outcomes. Finally, students’ perceptions of learning outcomes were collected with the Questionnaire for Reflective Thinking. Together the findings represent course rigor.
The nature of discussion posts was investigated. Findings describe the nature of rigorous learning. The correlational data that represent the relationships between student engagement practices and learning outcomes may be used to guide successive course design and implementation. The research methodology and design utilized will serve as a model for replication across online coursework. Therefore, this session will focus implications for best practices in facilitating rigorous student engagement and learning outcomes as well as the importance for investigating rigor.
Keywords
online, case study, rigor
Location
DiGiorgio Campus Center 221
Start Date
24-3-2017 2:15 PM
Creating Rigor in Online Course Discussions
DiGiorgio Campus Center 221
As post-secondary education coursework moves to entirely online formats, questions arise about the rigor of this alternate mode of delivery. Predominantly, concerns include suspicions about the nature of student engagement in an online environment. Along with skepticism about meaningful learning outcomes, critics of online course delivery doubt the rigor of teaching and learning without face to face meetings.
The rigor of an online course is largely determined by the type of student engagement that occurs along with resulting learning outcomes. Student engagement occurs largely through online discussion boards. Although best practices exist in building community and engaging students, variance in online course design and implementation limits the generalizability of existing research regarding rigor. Therefore, the development of evaluative research that assesses student impact of online teaching and learning is recommended.
In order to assess course rigor, a study was conducted to determine the nature of students’ participation in an online discussion board. Student responses to weekly discussion board prompts were downloaded and studied. Postings were analyzed for depth and complexity using an existing conceptual framework. Additionally, all student postings were scored using a rubric that assesses the relationship of prompts to learning outcomes. Finally, students’ perceptions of learning outcomes were collected with the Questionnaire for Reflective Thinking. Together the findings represent course rigor.
The nature of discussion posts was investigated. Findings describe the nature of rigorous learning. The correlational data that represent the relationships between student engagement practices and learning outcomes may be used to guide successive course design and implementation. The research methodology and design utilized will serve as a model for replication across online coursework. Therefore, this session will focus implications for best practices in facilitating rigorous student engagement and learning outcomes as well as the importance for investigating rigor.
