A Review of Literature and a Model for Scaffolding Asynchronous Student-Student Interaction in Online Discussion Forums

The purpose of this chapter is to overview types of asynchronous student-student interactions with a focus on designed interaction in an online discussion forum context, as well as to illustrate pedagogical approaches to scaffolding interactions. Student-student interaction in asynchronous online discussion is the emphasis of this chapter. The chapter focuses on a review of the literature on the roles of the instructor, student, and learning task in the online teaching and learning process. Ways in which these roles interact is then discussed including an overview of types of interactions. The chapter then focuses on contextual and designed interactions including conditions documented in research as to how to effectively use designed interaction to scaffold student-student interaction. Next, a guiding model is presented for how to plan for asynchronous interaction. Finally, challenges faced when designing or implementing synchronous discussions are discussed, as well as potential recommendations for overcoming these challenges.