Project Description
The current project aims to compare discussion forum models that are used for social activity to determine which can be used and are more preferred for learning management systems. Hashemyolia, Asmuni, Ayub & Daud (2015) have noted the increasing significance of web-based applications in learning management systems, especially in higher education. The emphasis on learning management systems is because it exploits autonomy and self-motivation in self-regulated learning. Learning management systems can be used for both course administration and pedagogical purposes (Pătruț, Pătruț & Cmeciu, 2013). This is possible because of the synchronous and asynchronous communication that is enabled by the use applications such as chat platforms.
This is encouraged by the high subscription to social network platforms such as Facebook and Twitter among others. These are chat platforms where many of the students are subscribed. The chat platforms also form one of the avenues through which the students communicate. Despite the many benefits of learning management systems, and the strategic advantage that socially-motivated discussion forum models provide, Mbati (2013) finds that there is the underutilization of learning management systems for pedagogical use. Mbati (2013) attributes this apathy to the prevailing ignorance regarding the benefits of learning management systems from a pedagogical perspective. Mbati (2013) also attributes the apathy to the information technology departments in the learning institutions, more so concerning the management and selection of platforms to host the learning management systems.
This project seeks to overcome these challenges and to advance the adoption of learning management systems by exploring the use of online media, particularly the socially-motivated discussion forum models. The study will compare different prototypes of discussion forums based on the social media. Some of the prototypes to be considered include the traditional general threaded discussions, the chat room unstructured model, the Twitter-style short comment feed, or the Facebook-style hybrid post and reply.
Problem Statement (Research Questions)
The aim is to compare social media discussion forum models to determine their appropriateness for learning management systems. The following are the research questions that guide the activities of the project:
Which of the four discussion forum models highlighted above do the users prefer for learning management systems?
Why do the users prefer specific styles of interaction?
What attributes in the four discussion forum models should be included in an ideal discussion forum to support learning?
Procedure and Methods
In order to achieve the aims and answer the research questions highlighted above, the researcher will use a controlled experiment. The controlled experiment will be used to measure the response of the students through a quantitative approach. The controlled experiment will measure the perceptions of the students regarding the use of an application designed to host the discussion forums under the learning management system initiative. The researcher will create for applications based on the socially-motivated discussion forum models highlighted above. The researcher will use the features that are typical to each of the discussion forum models to create their respective application.
The researcher will then select students to take part in the controlled experiment. Financial challenges are expected in this project because it involves the development and testing of four different applications for use in the controlled experiments. Another expected challenge is ensuring that the students who take part in the controlled experiment offer an objective evaluation of their experience. This is because the objectivity in the evaluations by the students forms the basis of the comparisons to determine the features that an ideal application for learning management systems should contain.
Ethical, Professional, and Legal Issues
Firstly, the researcher will require the review and approval of the proposal to create the four applications for the controlled experiments and the use of the students as participants in the controlled experiment from the institutional review board. The project will not commence until the permit is issued. The researcher will then enter into a binding contract with the developers of the applications to design the four applications. The contract shall stipulate that the developers will forfeit all rights to the applications when they are handed over to the researcher. The researcher will also explore the possibility of patenting resulting products.
The developers will also sign a non-disclosure agreement to ensure that they do not divulge the details about the applications to third parties. The participation of the students in the controlled experiment will be on a voluntary basis (Sales & Folkman, 2000). The students enrolled into the experiment will still have the right ad liberty to withdraw at any time without the fear of reprisals. Confidentiality will be guaranteed whenever it is indicated. The participation of the students will be contingent on signing an informed consent form.
Related Work
Other scholars have also performed projects with similar aims. For instance, Yen, Chen, Lai & Chuang (2015) performed a study in which they used a learning-analytics-based approach to managing the cognitive load through the adjustment of the instructional approaches used in the learning management systems. As highlighted previously, the learning management systems have a pedagogical benefit that learning institutions are yet to exploit fully. Yen et al., (2015) analyzed both learning management systems and videoconferencing technologies as used in hosting discussion forums and course content. The researchers used a mixed method approach where both quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analyzed. The work by Yen et al., (2015) establishes a background against which this project is based.
The work by Chen & Bryer (2012) was inspired by the fact that even in the context of increased use of social media, the instructors and students who use the online social media of pedagogical or general education purposes is very low. The scholars designed a qualitative study to explore the use of online social media by the faculty members in public administration (Chen & Bryer, 2012). The researchers used telephone interviews through which the researchers sought the perceptions and experiences of the faculty members in using social media for either learning of teaching purposes (Chen & Bryer, 2012). The researchers found that the informal learning that takes place over the social media could be integrated, through the facilitation of the instructors, into the mainstream learning environments. The researchers also found that learning over the social media offered increased engagement, enriched discussions, and broader connections (Chen & Bryer, 2012).
Anticipated Outcomes
It is expected that the design of the four applications for use in the controlled experiment will be done professionally because the researcher will contract professional developers to perform the task. However, the cost of developing the applications is expected to be considerably high. Nevertheless, the importance of the applications for the project rationalizes the cost of development. The use of the four applications in the controlled experiment will help the researcher towards collecting the information required to answer the research questions. It is expected that the students will prefer the Facebook-style hybrid post and reply as found in a similar study by Chen (n.d.). This is because it is structured and allows the discussions to flow without the limitation of words. Besides, the students can respond to the posts from multiple sources. Such findings will help build a case for the incorporation of the Facebook-style hybrid post and reply in learning management systems (Mallia, 2014).
The completion of this project is dependent on several success factors. One of the factors is the approval of the proposal and the use of the students for the experiment by the Institutional Review Board. The other success factor is the timely development of the four applications at the minimum cost possible. Even more important are the successful implementation of controlled experiment and the collection of objective data from the students. When these elements are achieved, the project will be deemed successful.
Project Plan
Risks and Risk Management
There are risks that will influence the outcome of the project. One of the risks is the delay in obtaining the funding for the development of the four applications required for the controlled experiment. This researcher will manage this risk by soliciting funding and making contact with the potential application developers even before the approval of the proposal by the Institutional Review Board. The other risk that influences the completion of the project is the delay in the development of the four applications. The researcher will manage this risk by the timely negotiations with the developers, the inclusion of constraints to ensure timely delivery in the contractual agreement, and proper scheduling of this terminal activity in the timeline.
Resources Required
The researcher will require four applications that are based on the four forum discussion models, the students to participate in the experiment, and the computers on which the applications will be hosted.
Deliverables
The deliverables in this project include the four applications for use in the experiment and the report detailing the findings of the project.
Milestones
The first milestone of the project as highlighted in the Gantt chart is the development of the proposal. This is to be followed by the submission of the proposal for approval by the institutional review board. Upon the approval of the proposal, the researcher will negotiate and enter into a contract for the development of the four applications required for the controlled experiment. The researcher will then select the participants of the controlled experiment after which the experiment will commence. The researcher will then analyze the data collected and use it to write the final report.
References
Chen, B. and Bryer, T. (2012). Investigating Instructional Strategies for Using Social Media in Formal and Informal Learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning. 13(1):
Chen, Y. (n.d.). The effect of using a Facebook group as a learning management system. Retrieved from https://www.asee.org/papers-and-publications/publications/division- publications/computers-in-education- journal/The_Effect_of_Using_a_Facebook_Group_as_a_Learning_Management_System .pdf
Hashemyolia, S., Asmuni, A., Ayub, A., and Daud, S. (2015). Perceived Learning Management Quality Predictors to Motivation and Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(31): 428-436.
Mallia, G. (2014). The social classroom: Integrating social network use in education. Hershey. IGI Global.
Mbati, L. (2013). Online Social Media Applications for Constructivism and Observational Learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning. 14(5): 166-185.
Pătruț, B., Pătruț, M., & Cmeciu, C. (2013). Social media and the new academic environment: Pedagogical challenges. Hershey, IGI Global.
Sales, B. ad Folkman, S. (2000). Ethics in research with human participants. Washington DC. APA.
Yen, C. H., Chen, I. C., Lai, Su. C., & Chuang, Y. R. (2015). An Analytics-Based Approach to Managing Cognitive Load by Using Log Data of Learning Management Systems and Footprints of Social Media. Educational Technology & Society, 18 (4):141–158.
