Pattern of accesses over time in an online asynchronous forum and academic achievements

• Published in: British journal of educational technology Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 619 - 628
• Main Authors: Canal, Luisa, Ghislandi, Patrizia, Micciolo, Rocco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Coventry Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2015; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Asynchronous Communication; College Students; Computer Mediated Communication; Distance learning; Gender Differences; Grades (Scholastic); High Schools; Online instruction; Role; Scores; Statistics; Student Characteristics; Teaching Methods; Time to Degree
• ISSN: 0007-1013; 1467-8535
• DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12158

In this study, the participation of 119 students in an online asynchronous forum as part of an academic course on statistical methods was evaluated. The pattern of accesses during the course was analyzed by means of the cumulative mean function. Taking into account the times (hours) at which accesses occurred, it is possible to achieve more accurate and more sensitive assessment of the role of concomitant variables (gender, final mark of the high school attended, examination outcome). As far as academic achievement was concerned, it emerged that graduating probability within 3.5 years from the end of the course was related only to a regular posting activity and not to the overall number of accesses.