Exploring Participation in Synchronous Online Discussions: Experiences of International Graduate Students in the U.S.

• In Event: DDL- Strategies & Techniques for Online Course Delivery

Short Description

This ongoing study employs the Community of Inquiry framework to investigate international graduate students’ participation in synchronous online discussions. Six students at a large public U.S. university participated in online interviews. The preliminary analysis revealed that appropriate instructional strategies, learners' interest, and open communication contributed to participants’ meaningful learning experiences. However, lecture-based online sessions, without any interaction, hindered their learning and engagement. Still, despite these challenges, the participants expressed resilience in pursuing their career paths.

Authors

• Contributor: Feliza Mercado, Texas Tech University

• Contributor: Sungwon Shin, Texas Tech University