Abstract
Maintaining the quality of online school programs has long been an important mission for learning institutions. In this study, an online college course titled “Media Communication Studies” was offered in the spring semester of 2023 and investigated to identify characteristics of forum discussions with long thread chains as part of the course activities. The analysis focused on two aspects of online classroom activities: how adult learners evaluated online discussions on the forums after the course was completed and how the discussions had actually developed on the forums. Both were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively using evaluations and reflective comments from sixty-eight students as well as the logs, structures, and content of forum posts.
An exploratory factor analysis of the semester-end class evaluation extracted the following quantitative factors: 1) positive perception toward participating in class discussions, 2) usefulness and helpfulness of comments from instructors, 3) appropriateness of instructors’ participation in class discussions, and 4) deep learning from and motivational value of the class content. The qualitative analysis of these threads clarified that a major reason for long-lasting discussion chains was that adult learners were trying to develop deeper understanding of the course contents based on the sharing of their professional and practical knowledge and experiences. This analysis revealed that the appropriate rules and management of the forum’s discussion, along with the instructors’ participation, encouraged independent thought and discussion among students. As a result, students communicated in forums by applying their everyday social experiences, enabling them to learn and collaborate more effectively.
