Understanding Students’ Online Interaction: Analysis of Discussion Board Postings
Liyan Song
Scot W. McNary
Towson University
Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to report on the findings of a study examining students’ online interaction patterns. The context of the study was a graduate online class delivered via Blackboard®. The primary data for the study came from students’ discussion board postings, online learning journals, and course grades. Various data analysis methods such as descriptive and regression analyses were utilized to examine students’ evolving interaction patterns and different interaction patterns among students in the same class. Results of the study indicated that there was considerable variability in students’ postings. Students’ postings were found mostly heterogeneous across students and across modules. The study suggested no correlation between the number of posts and students’ success.
About the Author(s)...
Dr. Liyan Song is Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Technology and Literacy at Towson University. She obtained her Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from the University of Georgia. Her areas of interests include adult learners’ self-directed learning in online environments, design and development of online learning, technology integration in K-12 settings, and epistemological beliefs. She can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Scot W. McNary is Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Technology and Literacy at Towson University. He obtained his Ph.D. in Clinical/Community Psychology at the University of Maryland College Park. His areas of interest are in classroom interactions and quantitative methods.
