1. Student Engagement in Distance
Learning Environments:
A Comparison of Threaded
Discussion Forums and Text–focused
Wikis
by Fei Gao and David Wong
First Monday [Online], Volume 13 Number 1 (13 January 2008)
2. Research Article Review
By Martina Henke
EDAE 637 : The Design of E-Learning
University of Alaska
Dr. Andrew Page
3. Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to
improve the quality of students’
online discussion of assigned
readings in an online course.
7. Online Discussions...
are threaded, recorded, and available
outside normal time constraints, thus
have great potential to support higher-
order thinking and in-depth learning
13. Data Collection:
Questionnaire:
(a) “How did the text–focused Wiki and the threaded
forum impact your participation similarly or differently?”
(b) “How did the text–focused Wiki and the threaded
impact your discussion similarly or differently?”
(c) “What were other good and bad experiences when
participating in each of the activities?
14. Results:
Four Discussion Areas Influenced:
• focus
• depth
• flow
• willingness to participate
18. Willingness to Participate:
• 16 of 20 more enthusiastic about the text-focused
wiki
• Greater average # of posts and # of words
posted
• Spontaneous re-reading of the text
19. Some Constraints:
• Less chance to discuss personal stories & real-
life situations
• Good for focusing, not as strong at developing a
broad view
20. Implications for Future Research
• What types of discussion the text-focused wiki
does and does not support
• How best to combine these types of discussion
with other forms
• How instructor scaffolding and facilitation can
be combined with these discussions.
21. My Thoughts:
This method fits with current research on
effective comprehension teaching
strategies
A creative method for overcoming the
difficulties presented by threaded
discussion forums.
22. Sources:
Gao, Fei, AND Wong, David. "Student engagement in
distance learning environments: A comparison of threaded
discussion forums and text-focused Wikis" First Monday
[Online], Volume 13 Number 1 (13 January 2008)