An exploratory study of online forums as a collaborative learning tool
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14684521211254077 |
| Date | 03 August 2012 |
| Published date | 03 August 2012 |
| Pages | 568-586 |
| Author | Carmen Camarero,Javier Rodríguez,Rebeca San José |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
An exploratory study of
online forums as a collaborative
learning tool
Carmen Camarero, Javier Rodrı
´guez and Rebeca San Jose
´
Department of Business Management and Marketing, University of Valladolid,
Valladolid, Spain
Abstract
Purpose – New information and communication technologies provide tools that help users to
progress from traditional teaching methods towards new and more participative approaches
consistent with collaborative learning. This study aims to assess the application of online discussion
forums as a support tool for lecturing in marketing.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors seek to pinpoint which factors determine student
use of online forums on the basis of the Technology Acceptance Model and to provide empirical
evidence concerning their impact on learning performance.
Findings – The findings indicate that it is not ease of use but perceived usefulness that determines a
positive attitude towards forums, an attitude which in turn influences forum use and perceived
learning. Adopting a new learning system may be seen as a gradual process in which students become
involved as they develop a positive attitude towards the system.
Practical implications – Lecturers and web developers should pay particular care not only to the
layout of the web site supporting the forums, but also to their usefulness and ability to stimulate
ongoing and interesting debates among students.
Originality/value – The findings of the study are valuable in helping lecturers and educational
administrators in the application and promotion of online forums for creating knowledge through
internal and interactive dialogue in a more conversational model of learning.
Keywords Online learning,Discussion forums, Technology AcceptanceModel,
Information andcommunication technologies, Learningmethods
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Collaborative learning forms part of a new approach to education whereby the role of
the teacher is to provide students with a means of learning through collaborative
discovery (Dykman and Davis, 2008). In collaborative learning, knowledge is not
conveyed to students but emerges from active dialogue and group work among actors
who seek to understand and apply concepts and techniques. The teacher is therefore an
agent who facilitates construction of this knowledge through various means
(e.g. role-playing, debates, group projects, and simulation).
New information and communication technologies (hereafter ICT), particularly the
internet, provide an ideal framework for engendering collaborative learning. ICT offer
numerous tools which are extremely useful for collaborative learning, such as wikis,
webquests or discussion forums. Numerous studies have explored the benefits of
online teaching (Alon and Canon, 2000; Fry, 2001; Hazari, 2004; Larson, 2002). Some
advantages of online tools for collaborative learning include the fact that activities are
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1468-4527.htm
OIR
36,4
568
Received 29 October 2010
Accepted 12 September
2011
Online Information Review
Vol. 36 No. 4, 2012
pp. 568-586
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
1468-4527
DOI 10.1108/14684521211254077
asynchronous (each student chooses when to do them and follows their own pace), are
available anywhere and are geared towards student needs. A belief in the positive
effects of e-learning tools has promoted the diffusion and expansion of e-learning
environments in universities and the growth of online courses (Business Wire, 2005;
E-learning Age, 2005).
Despite the growing trend of implementing e-learning and collaborative e-learning
tools, students’ preference for them and their efficiency in the learning process has yet
to be proved. In fact some criticisms are that e-learning environments may be
inappropriate for more dependent learners, and that success depends on the abilities of
the facilitator (the lecturer) or the level of technological sophistication (Illinois Online
Network, 2011).
In this context our research seeks to evaluate the use and effectiveness of online
discussion forums. In particular we propose adapting the Technology Acceptance
Model (hereafter, TAM) to analyse attitudes towards and use of this e-learning tool as
well as its effectiveness in terms of perceived learning.
Our work contributes to the literature addressing technology adoption by exploring
a case in which the ultimate goal is not to explain adoption, but to demonstrate the
positive outcomes of using such technology. Our results point to some interesting
implications for lecturers and educational administrators as well as web and new
learning system developers who implement online forums and other e-learning tools.
Our research provides evidence that perceived usefulness is the basis of student use of
online forums. This should encourage lecturers to provide relevant content in the
virtual discussion forums as well as continuous flow in the debate and should
encourage web developers to focus their efforts on creating synergies between forums
and other applications in order to increase both usefulness and use of these
collaborative e-learning tools.
Theoretical framework
Collaborative learning and online forums
Collaborative learning is framed within the constructivist education model
(Benbunan-Fich and Arbaugh, 2006; Hazari, 2004). This model posits that
knowledge is created or constructed by each student. Within this approach there are
two differing schools: the individual, which assumes that the construction of
knowledge occurs at the internal level of each student; and the social, which maintains
that knowledge is constructed socially through interaction with others (Hung and
Chen, 1999). For the former school, collaborative learning may be linked to cooperative
work, since collaboration is not restricted to several people working together but to the
fact that individuals may achieve outcomes beneficial to both themselves and to all the
group members. Collaborative learning techniques stimulate the creation of support
networks for students and promote deeper learning than more conventional
approaches to teaching, which all too often fail to achieve anything other than
superficial knowledge or memorisation.
Since the collaborative approach seeks to create enriching learning processes
through dialogue, debate, and even confrontation and argument, some e-learning tools
are able to facilitate these activities enormously. Among such tools we focus on online
discussion forums. Forums constitute a virtual learning environment in which
students asynchronously post their responses and opinions concerning a topic, based
Online forums as
a learning tool
569
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