Participation in asynchronous online discussions for student assessment

Online discussion boards have created a forum for distance education students in geographically dispersed locations to interact with one another and to develop social learning communities. Indeed, online discussion boards provide an opportunity for instructors to replicate the on-campus tutorial experience for distance learners by facilitating a collaborative and social learning paradigm in which students can share their experiences and perspectives and construct knowledge through shared meanings. In this paper, the findings of a two-stage exploratory study of distance education students’ perceptions concerning compulsory participation in asynchronous online discussions for assessment purposes are presented. The pre-semester study revealed that while many of the students had not been involved in asynchronous online discussions in previous courses, most were positively inclined towards participation. A post-semester study indicated that most students had a positive experience with the online discussion board activity, and most indicated that participation for assessment purposes should continue.