Relationship of Gender, Interaction Type, and College Student Grades in Online Discussion Boards
Valenziano, Laura Amy
This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/87798
Description
Title
Relationship of Gender, Interaction Type, and College Student Grades in Online Discussion Boards
Author(s)
Valenziano, Laura Amy
Issue Date
2008
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Johnson, Scott D.
Department of Study
Human Resources and Family Studies
Discipline
Human Resources and Family Studies
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Higher
Language
eng
Abstract
One of the strongest influences on a college student's education has been a rise in the use of computer-mediated learning environments. Pedagogy has moved from the traditional classroom to technology being integrated into almost every aspect of learning. A way in which this is often done in the college environment is through the professor incorporating a web-based discussion board into their instructional repertoire and creating hybrid courses. The conversion from traditionally taught face-to-face courses to hybrid courses can lead to learning problems, as past research has shown that there are differences in how men and women communicate and interact in online environments. Past studies on gender and interaction in online classrooms have produced conflicting results, mostly due to a reliance on self-reported data and small sample sizes. This study examined the online discussion board posts of 310 and perceptions of 214 undergraduate students enrolled in two introductory level courses at a large research university. The study results showed that male and female students participated equally in the course discussion boards, had the same amount of learner-learner and learner-instructor interactions, and had the same amount of reply posts. Female students had a higher amount of initiated posts per student while male students had more words in their interactions. Students in the courses engaged in many Technical and Seeking Clarification interactions and very few Social and Reflecting interactions. Finally, this study found a significant relationship between gender and final course grade.
Use this login method if you
don't
have an
@illinois.edu
email address.
(Oops, I do have one)
IDEALS migrated to a new platform on June 23, 2022. If you created
your account prior to this date, you will have to reset your password
using the forgot-password link below.
