Online learning has become increasingly important in education, especially during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. A key activity in online learning is asynchronous online discussion (for instance discussion boards in learning management systems). It has been found to foster student engagement (Parks-Stamm et al., 2017) and support student active learning (Baker et al., 2005), critical and higher-order thinking (Kwon et al., 2019), and reflection (Hara et al., 2000). However, simply incorporating asynchronous online discussions into online learning does not guarantee these effects because there are many influencing factors. Instructor participation is one of them. Some studies have, for example, indicated that instructor participation supported students’ deep understanding and critical thinking on a particular subject (Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005). However, other studies showed that instructor participation had little, or in some cases, negative influences on student participation (Mazzolini & Madison, 2003). These mixed results make it difficult for instructors to learn and apply appropriate strategies to participate in asynchronous online discussions.

‘The positive effect of instructor participation was greater regarding the quality of student participation, student achievements and student emotions.’

A systematic literature review by Xie and Correia (2023) analysed 25 studies on the effect of instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions on student performance, providing valuable suggestions for instructors. We classified the research into three categories: the presence of instructor participation; the frequency of instructor participation; and the type of instructor participation. We found that compared to the quantity of instructor participation, the quality of instructor participation – especially the comments and teaching strategies used by instructors – had a greater impact on student performance. Positive, neutral and adverse effects of instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions on student performance were identified in five manners: the quantity of student participation; the quality of student participation; student achievements (such as grades, professional abilities); student emotions (such as emotional engagement, satisfaction with the discussion/instructor/course); and student learning time. The positive effect of instructor participation was greater regarding the quality of student participation, student achievements and student emotions. Whether instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions can bring positive effects was influenced not only by instructors’ teaching experience but also by other factors such as course content, learning objectives, class sizes and learner characteristics.

Based on our review, we would recommend the following practices for instructors to participate effectively in asynchronous online discussions.

• The level of instructor participation should be adjusted according to class size, with more participation recommended in smaller classes (up to 15 students) and less in larger classes (more than 30 students). This is because instructor participation can increase student participation in smaller classes – for example, the number of student posts. In the case of larger classes, it is advisable to divide students into small discussion groups to enable more effective participation in discussions.
• Instructors should initiate discussions using open-ended questions that are heuristic and interesting (such as asking students to find and apply solutions to a case study). They should then gradually relinquish control of the discussion and give the central position to students, intervening only when necessary to keep discussions on track, provide accurate information, extend discussions or mediate conflicts.
• Instructors should apply successful facilitation strategies such as establishing detailed discussion rubrics, grading student posts and providing regular individual feedback.
• Instructors should provide more instructional comments (such as challenging students’ solutions, encouraging students to critically evaluate other posts and think from different perspectives, and providing new ideas or directions), and supplement them with sincere rather than perfunctory social comments (for instance mentioning students’ names and praising students for specific things they did well).
• Instructors should practise asynchronous online discussions more frequently and seek professional development in this area.

We hope these recommendations derived from the reviewed articles can help instructors participate effectively in asynchronous online discussions. By implementing these practices, instructors can foster a collaborative and productive learning environment, ultimately benefiting student performance in online learning.

This blog post is based on the article ‘The effects of instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions on student performance: A systematic review’ by Jiarui Xie and Ana-Paula Correia, published in the British Journal of Educational Technology.

References

Baker, A. C., Jensen, P. J., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Conversation as experiential learning. Management Learning, 36(4), 411–427. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507605058130

Garrison, D. R., & Cleveland-Innes, M. (2005). Facilitating cognitive presence in online learning: Interaction is not enough. American Journal of Distance Education, 19(3), 133–148. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15389286ajde1903_2

Hara, N., Bonk, C., & Angeli, C. (2000). Content analysis of online discussion in an applied educational psychology course. Instructional Science, 28(2), 115–152. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003764722829

Kwon, K., Park, S. J., Shin, S., & Chang, C. Y. (2019). Effects of different types of instructor comments in online discussions. Distance Education, 40(2), 226–242. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2019.1602469

Mazzolini, M., & Maddison, S. (2003). Sage, guide or ghost? The effect of instructor intervention on student participation in online discussion forums. Computers & Education, 40(3), 237–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0360-1315(02)00129-X

Parks-Stamm, E. J., Zafonte, M., & Palenque, S. M. (2017). The effects of instructor participation and class size on student participation in an online class discussion forum: Instructor participation and class size. British Journal of Educational Technology, 48(6), 1250–1259. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12512

Xie, J., & Correia, A. P. (2023). The effects of instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions on student performance: A systematic review. British Journal of Educational Technology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13350