Online question and answer sessions: How students support their own and other students' processes of inquiry in a text-based learning environment

Online tutoring has been found to have a positive impact on student learning in STEM education. The aim of this study was to explore how and to what extent students supported their own and other students' processes of inquiry during online tutoring. More specifically, question and answer sessions (Q&As) were studied, and online tutoring transcripts were analyzed using the Relationship of Inquiry coding scheme adapted from the Community of Inquiry framework. The students interacted voluntarily with each other and with the teachers. The results show that the students supported both their own process of inquiry as well as other students' process of inquiry. Furthermore, the results indicate that students acquired metacognitive development through self- and co-regulation when they expressed teaching presence. Overall, we conclude that Q&As have the potential to support student learning when working on assignments in STEM education.