Online Discussion or Real Conversation? Threaded Discussion Versus Linear Chat Versus Collaborative Responsive Writing

• In Event: Community of Inquiry and Collaborative Learning

Abstract

During COVID, online discussions bore a greater weight of student need for psychological connection. Yet, online threaded discussions, ubiquitous in LMSs, often involve students talking past each other, instead of with each other, with little uptake of others’ contributions. We report on uptake and authenticity in three types of online discussions in seven online university courses: (a) threaded discussions, (b) linear chat-style discussions, and (c) linear chat-style discussions with collaborative responsive writing.

Authors

• Glenn G. Smith, University of South Florida

• Michael B. Sherry, University of South Florida

• Vanya Tsvetkova

• Jeanette Abrahamsen, University of South Florida

• Kimberly Defusco, University of South Florida

• Diane Austin, University of South Florida

• Samantha Gassler, University of South Florida