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Tom Miner - Research Abstract

Essentially, I am trying to determine if student-moderated discussion boards (DBs) are more effective than traditional, instructor-moderated ones in an online English composition class. By “effective” I mean, will student-moderated DBs result in more substantive and timely responses, and will students using them “buy into” the discussion process more fully; in other words, will there be any changes in their sense of the online community they experience. Additionally, I’d like to see if there is any significant difference in the retention and student success rates between the student-moderated and instructor-moderated sections of the class.

Since our initial Carnegie Scholars Retreat in January, I conducted a review of the research on such areas as building community in online classes and the effective use of asynchronous communication in such books as The Virtual Student, A Classroom of One, Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education, and Inquiry and the Literary Text: Constructing Discussions in the English Classroom.

To conduct the research, I have designed one of three concurrent sections of an online English 300 (college Composition) class with exclusively instructor-moderated discussion boards, another with SOME student-moderated DBs, and a third with MOST of the DBs student-moderated. At the orientation meeting for each of the classes, I informed students in a very general way of the project and let them know which section they were enrolled in. Then the students completed an anonymous online survey (that I designed with the help of our campus’ research coordinator, Alan Keys) to measure their prior experience and comfort level using DBs and whether they would prefer having the online discussions be moderated by the instructor or by a student all of the time, most of the time, some of the time, or never. I have saved the results of the survey and intend to compare them with the results of a similar survey at the end of the semester to determine if there are any differences between the various sections in their comfort level and preferences for instructor- or student-led DBs. Among the advantages they foresaw in using DBs were:

1. “It may be easier to honestly express my views to others when they can’t really see me. I also think that the discussion boards will help me to better organize my thoughts.”
2. ”I think it may provide a forum for students to communicate more candidly and more frequently than in a traditional classroom. I am at least hoping it will be this way. I would like to hear from as many students as possible and in most traditional classes, the shy do not speak up! Also, if I have a desperately-needing-an-answer style question or am feeling particularly chatty and it’s 2 am, I may find someone to talk to.”
3. “Discussions can be held for a prolonged amount of time. Comments can have depth because of the amount of time available to respond. The discussions can constantly be reviewed.”
4. “This is helpful in terms of being able to review others responses to gauge your own. This helps you get started when sometimes you dont fully understand what is wanted of you.” (sic)

To date, students have participated in a number of discussion boards, and I have printed out a sampling of them for comparison. I have also “assessed” the students’ postings using a more specific and rigorous rubric than I usually do as to more effectively identify and reward substantive, thoughtful postings and replies.

I’m also collecting responses from the student-moderators themselves, reflecting on their experience of “playing teacher.” So far, one student has noted that “Being a moderator was different because I read everyone's posting and sometimes I only read the postings that have interesting subject headings. I now really understand that being an online teacher may be more work than being a teacher in a classroom. I have newfound respect (not that I respected you any less before). …Not only was this a chance to be in your shoes, it also reiterated a lesson that I already know: don't judge a book by its cover. From now on I will read all posts, eye catching heading or not.”

Another explained that “When moderating, I felt like I was able to stimulate both myself and others. The most rewarding aspect of moderating had to be the level of understanding that was made between myself and others. Even though people may have disagreed, there was still a level of respect. The most challenging part was that I couldn't wait to reply to the last threads.”

Finally, I am asking each of the students who have dropped the class for the reasons that contributed to their decision (so far, most have dropped out for the usual reasons: work pressures or changing schedules, family problems, etc., but some express difficulties with the online nature of the class or the way I’ve designed the course).