Virtual Classrooms and the Discussion Forum: A Net Benefit for Business Students
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Caroline Akhras, Notre Dame University, Lebanon
Wednesday, March 9 10:15-10:45 AM Location: Tulip Grove F
Presider:
Ronald McBride, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Retired, Current Status: Adjunct, United States
Abstract: A serendipitous turning point in education may be in the outcomes of online collaborative work as it is social, dynamic, and multidimensional. Virtual classrooms and discussion forums are collaborative tools on Course Management Systems used in Higher Education. Akhras holds that for graduate-level students a collaborative process of knowledge-building ought to be integrated into their traditional program through Virtual Classrooms and/or Discussion Forums. The purpose is to assess whether performance improved when graduate students developed their assignment using collaborative learning tools. Two critical components were addressed: (a) collaborative performance on-line and (b) student-teacher interaction. Case assessment was conducted. Implications and recommendations were made.