An exploration of student experiences with online message boards as a learning modality outside the middle school classroom
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Authors
Hansen, Chris
Issue Date
2008
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Teaching
Alternative Title
Abstract
The time demands of a group project frequently extend beyond the limited time available in the classroom. The quality of students' work suffers from a lack of productive meeting time when the teacher is not able to dedicate class time to allow students to collaborate on long-term projects. Students are frequently unable to find time to meet outside the classroom to work on collaborative projects, therefore the learning potentials of group projects can be difficult to realize.
The goal of this study was to examine students' experiences using online message boards to communicate with their teacher and with one another about a class-assigned survey project on the Bill of Rights. The study utilized an online message board for completion of a small group history project among participating students. Eleven eighthgrade students consisting of three males and eight females were divided into two groups to participate in this project. A questionnaire that consisted of both Likert-scale and open-ended questions was administered to students after the project to evaluate their experiences and perceptions about using the message board as a means to communicate with group members about the project outside of class. The evaluations were analyzed to determine students' perspectives. The teacher-researcher additionally analyzed the findings based on his observations of students' online posts.
The findings indicate that an online message board can be an effective tool for students to communicate with one another and with their teacher about a group project outside the classroom. Using the message board made class time more productive, helped facilitate communication between group members, and was a helpful tool for students to receive feedback on their work. Future research should further explore the utility of online message boards to enhance learning and satisfy academic goals and objectives.