Student Closeness in Online Social Interaction and Online Discussion Threads

• In Event: Computer and Internet Applications in Education SIG Topics: Online and Digital Learning

Abstract

Online discussion board is an effective instructional strategy to engage learners in knowledge construction and learning community building. This study examined how student closeness changed over time and how types of discussion threads (i.e., student-based vs. topic-based) moderated the trend of student closeness in online discussion. Overall, there was an upward trend of student closeness. Moreover, there was a dip student closeness upon the change of the type of discussion threads at week 4. Last, student closeness was equivalent in online discussion with either type of discussion threads.

Authors

• Cherng-Jyh Yen, Old Dominion University
  Presenting Author

• Chih-Hsiung Tu, Northern Arizona University
  Presenting Author

• Hoda Harati, Towson University
  Non-Presenting Author

• William Terrill, Northern Arizona University
  Non-Presenting Author