Online discussion platform

Last updated

An online discussion platform is an online platform that allows for, or is built specifically for, online discussion.

Contents

History

In 1979 students from Duke University created the first online discussion platform with Usenet. [1]

Uses

Online discussion platforms can engage people in collective reflection and exchanging perspectives and cross-cultural understanding. [2]

Public display of ideas can encourage intersubjective meaning making. [3] [ self-published source? ]

Online discussion platforms may be an important structural means for effective large-scale participation. [4]

In education

Online discussion platforms can play a role in education. [5] [ self-published source? ] In recent years, online discussion platform have become a significant part of not only distance education but also in campus-based settings. [6]

The proposed interactive e-learning community (iELC) is a platform that engages physics students in online and classroom learning tasks. In brief classroom discussions fundamental physics formulas, definitions and concepts are disclosed, after which students participate in the iELC form discussion and utilize chat and dialogue tools to improve their understanding of the subject. The teacher then discusses selected forum posts in the subsequent classroom session. [7]

Classroom online discussion platforms are one type of such platforms. [8]

Rose argues that the basic motivation for the development of e–learning platforms is efficiency of scale — teaching more students for less money. [9]

A study found that learners will enhance the frequencies of course discussion and actively interact with e-learning platform when e-learning platform integrates the curriculum reward mechanism into learning activities. [10]

In smart cities

"City townhall" includes a participation platform for policy-making in Rotterdam. [11] [ additional citation(s) needed ]

In 2022, United Nations reported that D-Agree Afghanistan is used as a digital and smart city solutions in Afghanistan. [12] [13] D-Agree, is a discussion support platform with artificial intelligence–based facilitation. [14] The discussion trees in D-Agree, inspired by issue-based information system, contain a combination of four types of elements: issues, ideas, pros, and cons. [14] The software extracts a discussion's structure in real time based on IBIS, automatically classifying all the sentences. [14]

Streamlining

Online discussion platforms may be designed and improved to streamline discussions for efficiency, usefulness and quality. For instance voting, targeted notifications, user levels, gamification, subscriptions, bots, discussion requirements, structurization, layout, sorting, linking, feedback-mechanisms, reputation-features, demand-signaling features, requesting-features, visual highlighting, separation, curation, tools for real-time collaboration, tools for mobilization of humans and resources, standardization, data-processing, segmentation, summarization, moderation, time-intervals, categorization/tagging, rules and indexing can be leveraged in synergy to improve the platform.[ citation needed ]

In 2013 Sarah Perez claimed that the best platform for online discussion doesn't yet exist, noting that comment sections could be more useful if they showed "which comments or shares have resonated and why" and which "understands who deserves to be heard". [15]

Online platforms don't intrinsically guarantee informed citizen input. Research demonstrates that such spaces can even undermine deliberative participation when they allow hostile, superficial and misinformed content to dominate the conversation (see also: Internet troll, shitposting). A necessary mechanism that enables these platforms to yield informed citizen debate and contribution to policy is deliberation. It is argued that the challenge lies in creating an online context that does not merely aggregate public input but promotes informed public discussion that may benefit the policy-making process. [4]

Online citizen communication has been studied for an evaluations of how deliberative their content is and how selective perception and ideological fragmentation play a role in them (see also: filter bubble). One sub-branch of online deliberation research is dedicated to the development of new platforms that "facilitate deliberative experiences that surpass currently available options". [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

Participatory democracy, participant democracy or participative democracy is a form of government in which citizens participate individually and directly in political decisions and policies that affect their lives, rather than through elected representatives. Elements of direct and representative democracy are combined in this model.

Educational software is a term used for any computer software which is made for an educational purpose. It encompasses different ranges from language learning software to classroom management software to reference software. The purpose of all this software is to make some part of education more effective and efficient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Problem-based learning</span> Learner centric pedagogy

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem found in trigger material. The PBL process does not focus on problem solving with a defined solution, but it allows for the development of other desirable skills and attributes. This includes knowledge acquisition, enhanced group collaboration and communication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Active learning</span> Educational technique

Active learning is "a method of learning in which students are actively or experientially involved in the learning process and where there are different levels of active learning, depending on student involvement." Bonwell & Eison (1991) states that "students participate [in active learning] when they are doing something besides passively listening." According to Hanson and Moser (2003) using active teaching techniques in the classroom can create better academic outcomes for students. Scheyvens, Griffin, Jocoy, Liu, & Bradford (2008) further noted that "by utilizing learning strategies that can include small-group work, role-play and simulations, data collection and analysis, active learning is purported to increase student interest and motivation and to build students ‘critical thinking, problem-solving and social skills". In a report from the Association for the Study of Higher Education, authors discuss a variety of methodologies for promoting active learning. They cite literature that indicates students must do more than just listen in order to learn. They must read, write, discuss, and be engaged in solving problems. This process relates to the three learning domains referred to as knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA). This taxonomy of learning behaviors can be thought of as "the goals of the learning process." In particular, students must engage in such higher-order thinking tasks as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Blended learning or hybrid learning, also known as technology-mediated instruction, web-enhanced instruction, or mixed-mode instruction, is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with physical place-based classroom methods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E-democracy</span> Use of information and communication technology in political and governance processes

E-democracy, also known as digital democracy or Internet democracy, uses information and communication technology (ICT) in political and governance processes. The term is credited to digital activist Steven Clift. By using 21st-century ICT, e-democracy seeks to enhance democracy, including aspects like civic technology and E-government. Proponents argue that by promoting transparency in decision-making processes, e-democracy can empower all citizens to observe and understand the proceedings. Also, if they possess overlooked data, perspectives, or opinions, they can contribute meaningfully. This contribution extends beyond mere informal disconnected debate; it facilitates citizen engagement in the proposal, development, and actual creation of a country's laws. In this way, e-democracy has the potential to incorporate crowdsourced analysis more directly into the policy-making process.

Collaborative learning is a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together. Unlike individual learning, people engaged in collaborative learning capitalize on one another's resources and skills. More specifically, collaborative learning is based on the model that knowledge can be created within a population where members actively interact by sharing experiences and take on asymmetric roles. Put differently, collaborative learning refers to methodologies and environments in which learners engage in a common task where each individual depends on and is accountable to each other. These include both face-to-face conversations and computer discussions. Methods for examining collaborative learning processes include conversation analysis and statistical discourse analysis.

A learning management system (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, materials or learning and development programs. The learning management system concept emerged directly from e-Learning. Learning management systems make up the largest segment of the learning system market. The first introduction of the LMS was in the late 1990s. Learning management systems have faced a massive growth in usage due to the emphasis on remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Educational technology is the combined use of computer hardware, software, and educational theory and practice to facilitate learning. When referred to with its abbreviation, "EdTech," it often refers to the industry of companies that create educational technology. In EdTech Inc.: Selling, Automating and Globalizing Higher Education in the Digital Age, Tanner Mirrlees and Shahid Alvi (2019) argue "EdTech is no exception to industry ownership and market rules" and "define the EdTech industries as all the privately owned companies currently involved in the financing, production and distribution of commercial hardware, software, cultural goods, services and platforms for the educational market with the goal of turning a profit. Many of these companies are US-based and rapidly expanding into educational markets across North America, and increasingly growing all over the world."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Media multitasking</span> Concurrent use of multiple media streams

Media multitasking is the concurrent use of multiple digital media streams. Media multitasking has been associated with depressive symptoms and social anxiety by a study involving 318 participants. A 2018 review found that while the literature is sparse and inconclusive, people who do a heavy amount of media multitasking have worse performance in several cognitive domains. One of the authors commented that while the data does not "unambiguously show that media multitasking causes a change in attention and memory," media multitasking is an inefficient practice that requires "task switching" costs including "limitations in auditory and visual processing".

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is a pedagogical approach wherein learning takes place via social interaction using a computer or through the Internet. This kind of learning is characterized by the sharing and construction of knowledge among participants using technology as their primary means of communication or as a common resource. CSCL can be implemented in online and classroom learning environments and can take place synchronously or asynchronously.

An edublog is a blog created for educational purposes. Edublogs archive and support student and teacher learning by facilitating reflection, questioning by self and others, collaboration and by providing contexts for engaging in higher-order thinking. Edublogs proliferated when blogging architecture became more simplified and teachers perceived the instructional potential of blogs as an online resource. The use of blogs has become popular in education institutions including public schools and colleges. Blogs can be useful tools for sharing information and tips among co-workers, providing information for students, or keeping in contact with parents. Common examples include blogs written by or for teachers, blogs maintained for the purpose of classroom instruction, or blogs written about educational policy. Educators who blog are sometimes called edubloggers.

A Knowledge Building Community (KBC) is a community in which the primary goal is knowledge creation rather than the construction of specific products or the completion of tasks. This notion is fundamental in Knowledge building theory. If knowledge is not realized for a community then we do not have knowledge building. Examples of KBCs are

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Educational video game</span> Video game genre

An educational video game is a video game that provides learning or training value to the player. Edutainment describes an intentional merger of video games and educational software into a single product. In the narrower sense used here, the term describes educational software which is primarily about entertainment, but tends to educate as well and sells itself partly under the educational umbrella. Normally software of this kind is not structured towards school curricula and does not involve educational advisors.

Radical democracy is a type of democracy that advocates the radical extension of equality and liberty. Radical democracy is concerned with a radical extension of equality and freedom, following the idea that democracy is an unfinished, inclusive, continuous and reflexive process.

In governance, sortition is the selection of public officials or jurors using a random representative sample. This minimizes factionalism, since those selected to serve can prioritize deliberating on the policy decisions in front of them instead of campaigning.

A virtual learning environment (VLE) in educational technology is a web-based platform for the digital aspects of courses of study, usually within educational institutions. They present resources, activities, and interactions within a course structure and provide for the different stages of assessment. VLEs also usually report on participation and have some level of integration with other institutional systems. In North America, VLEs are often referred to as Learning Management Systems (LMS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kahoot!</span> Norwegian online educational quiz game

Kahoot! is a Norwegian online game-based learning platform. It has learning games, also known as "kahoots", which are user-generated multiple-choice quizzes that can be accessed via a web browser or the Kahoot! app.

Online deliberation is a broad term used to describe many forms of non-institutional, institutional and experimental online discussions. The term also describes the emerging field of practice and research related to the design, implementation and study of deliberative processes that rely on the use of electronic information and communications technologies (ICT).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital media in education</span>

Digital Media in education is measured by a person's ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and produce media content and communication in a variety of forms. These media may involve incorporating multiple digital softwares, devices, and platforms as a tool for learning. The use of digital media in education is growing rapidly in today's age, competing with books for the leading form of communication. This form of education is slowly combating the traditional forms of education that have been around for a long time. With the introduction of virtual education, there has been a need for more incorporation of new digital platforms in online classrooms.

References

  1. Wang, Mo (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Retirement. OUP USA. ISBN   9780199746521 . Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  2. Deng, Liping; Chen, Yang-Hsueh; Li, Sandy C. (23 January 2017). "Supporting cross-cultural online discussion with formal and informal platforms: a case between Hong Kong and Taiwan". Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning. 12 (1): 5. doi: 10.1186/s41039-017-0050-z . ISSN   1793-7078. PMC   6302850 . PMID   30613254.
  3. O'Malley, Claire (2009). Computer Support Collaborative Learining Practices: CSCL2009 Conference Proceedings. Lulu.com. ISBN   9781615841370 . Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 Manosevitch, Edith; Steinfeld, Nili; Lev-On, Azi (26 November 2014). "Promoting online deliberation quality: cognitive cues matter". Information, Communication & Society. 17 (10): 1177–1195. doi:10.1080/1369118X.2014.899610. ISSN   1369-118X. S2CID   145777013.
  5. The Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Conference 2013, Volume 2. Lulu.com. 23 April 2014. ISBN   9781483406671 . Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  6. Hybrid Learning: Innovation in Educational Practices - 8th | Simon K.S. Cheung | Springer. ISBN   9783319206202 . Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  7. Wong, Su Luan; Abu Bakar, Kamariah (1 August 2009). "Qualitative findings of students' perception on practice of self-regulated strategies in online community discussion" (PDF). Computers & Education. 53 (1): 94–103. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2008.12.021.
  8. Zheng, Binbin; Warschauer, Mark (2015). "Participation, interaction, and academic achievement in an online discussion environment". Computers & Education. 84: 78–89. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2015.01.008 . Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  9. Coopman, Stephanie J. (17 May 2009). "A critical examination of Blackboard's e-learning environment". First Monday. 14 (6). doi: 10.5210/fm.v14i6.2434 . Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  10. Lan, Yu-Feng; Yang, Chia-Lung (May 2009). "A practical approach to encourage students participation in asynchronous online discussions based on expectancy theory". 2009 IEEE International Conference on Virtual Environments, Human-Computer Interfaces and Measurements Systems. pp. 271–276. doi:10.1109/VECIMS.2009.5068907. ISBN   978-1-4244-3808-2. S2CID   23457961.
  11. Janssen, Marijn; Kuk, George; Wagenaar, René W. (1 April 2008). "A survey of Web-based business models for e-government in the Netherlands". Government Information Quarterly. 25 (2): 202–220. doi:10.1016/j.giq.2007.06.005.
  12. Regional Commissions report on the progress on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda (2019-2022) (PDF) (Report). United Nations. 2022. p. 19.
  13. The Transition of Asian and Pacific Cities to a Sustainable Future:Accelerating Action for Sustainable Urbanization (PDF) (Report). Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. 2022. p. 23.
  14. 1 2 3 Hadfi, Rafik; Haqbeen, Jawad; Sahab, Sofia; Ito, Takayuki (August 2021). "Argumentative conversational agents for online discussions". Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering. 30 (4): 450–464. doi:10.1007/s11518-021-5497-1. PMC   8143987 . PMID   34054250.
  15. Perez, Sarah (22 February 2013). "The Best Platform For Online Discussion Doesn't Exist Yet". TechCrunch. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  16. Freelon, Deen (1 May 2015). "Discourse architecture, ideology, and democratic norms in online political discussion". New Media & Society. 17 (5): 772–791. doi:10.1177/1461444813513259. ISSN   1461-4448. S2CID   37565851.