The effectiveness of discussion boards in teaching biology

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of using on-line discussions in a biology classroom. Students participated in a series of discussion board topics. Data were collected by analyzing scores on pre and post assessments, surveys, interviews, and discussion board data such as number of posts. In addition to the effectiveness of these discussions, the study aimed to determine how involved the instructor should be in the discussions. As the instructor, I varied my level of participation throughout the study. The use of discussion boards showed little impact on learning the content. Students preferred and discussions were more in-depth when the teacher was an active participant in the discussions.