Discussion Activities in Asynchronous Online Learning: Motivating Adult Learners’ Interactions

Abstract

This quantitative study investigates the impact of four types of discussion activities on adult learners’ asynchronous online interactions. Specifically, this study aims to understand how different discussion activities incorporated into online discussion boards motivate adult learners’ online participation. The four discussion activities are video-based text discussion, student-generated problem-based case discussion, self-created meme discussion, and discussion through debate. Results show that all four discussion activities, to a great extent, help motivate adult learners to actively interact with learning content, the instructor, and peers in different ways. Significantly, our study shows that participants identified student-generated problem-based case discussion as the most effective and that the debate was the least effective among the four discussion activities. Results also indicate that the instructor plays a significant role in the design, instruction, and follow-up of discussion activities. This study provides insights into using multiple discussion activities in fully asynchronous online environments for adult learners’ active learning.

Keywords:

• Online discussion activities
• online interactions
• adult learners
• asynchronous online learning

Data Availability Statement

Data are available from the corresponding author on request.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from the public, commercial, or not-for-profit funding agencies.

Notes on contributors

Xi Lin

Xi Lin is an assistant professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Professions at East Carolina University. Her research focuses on student engagement and interaction in online and distance learning and on international students and faculty in U.S. higher education. More information about her can be found at http://whoisxilin.weebly.com/

Qi Sun

Qi Sun is an associate professor and program coordinator of the Adult Learning PhD program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her research includes adult learning, transformative learning, comparative and international education, Eastern and non-Western perspectives on education, and online learning. She designs and teaches courses for distance education programs.