Abstract:

Peer-to-peer engagement is an impactful way to enrich student learning and the teaching experience, especially in an asynchronous course. Varied online discussion platforms are more readily available to increase engagement, participation, and student learning. However, more information is needed to evaluate whether these discussion platforms enhance engaged learning. This study compares the use of online discussion platforms Packback and Yellowdig, used in sequential years, for the asynchronous course Home Food Production – quantifying students' recorded level of participation, engagement with their classmates, and effort put into student posts.

In the spring of 2022, Packback was evaluated as an effective class discussion tool for HS 205 Home Food Production. Students used Packback as the course discussion forum platform. Each week, they were given instructor-led lead discussion prompts during scheduled weeks and asked to respond to two of their peers. Packback tracked student participation each week and gave students a “curiosity” score. This curiosity score algorithm assessed the effort put into each student’s post.

The Packback discussion group had lower student participation than expected, including peer-to-peer engagement, level of effort, and overall curiosity scores. Most students fully participated in the first week of discussion. However, as weeks progressed, the effort put into discussion posting and engagement significantly declined – as low as 65% participation. Beyond answering the discussion prompt, students did not develop a line of inquiry, and engagement was modest. For most weeks, students did not fully participate.

In the spring of 2023, Yellowdig was used as a digital tool to help create more vibrant, connected learning communities and give students the agency to discuss course topics that are important to them. Using Yellowdig, evidence showed that students became more active participants in the learning process, often exceeding the minimal participation requirement, and played a critical role in constructing knowledge. Crafted course topics provided course relevance and helped students talk about subjects related to the course, but no longer relied on instructor prompts for their discussions each week. With Yellowdig, students in this course performed above average in general use for the number of student connections, discussion posts, reactions, responses to discussion posts, the total word count average, and the number of multimedia shared. Ninety percent of students successfully met discussion participation goals, and seventy-seven percent exceeded the minimal discussion participation requirement. This data suggests that students went beyond the class requirement and likely found this form of communication meaningful enough to participate in or enjoyable. Furthermore, several students echoed their value of Yellowdig in their end-of-year evaluations.

In comparing student participation, level of engagement, and peer-to-peer learning between discussion platforms Packback and Yellowdig, Yellowdig proved to be a more successful discussion platform for HS 205 Home Food Production. With Yellowdig, 90% of students met the minimal discussion class requirement, and 73% exceeded this class participation requisite. Several students echoed their value of Yellowdig in their end-of-year evaluations.

Keywords:

Education, Student Engagement, Online Education.