Trends, Factors, and Conditions Potentially Influencing Online Discussion Forum Outcomes: A Synthesized From Systematic Review

Abstract

The increasing use of online discussion forum (ODF) as an online computer-mediated communication (CMC) system that allows students to construct knowledge, collaborate and engage with new knowledge has resulted in a growing body of research that aimed at finding ways to enhance student learning outcomes using this platform. After an intensive web search was conducted using Google Scholar, seven previous systematic reviews that studied research trends in ODF were found. These studies have conducted systematic reviews on many different trends, factors and conditions to enhance student learning outcomes in ODF. The aim of the present study was to gather, analyze, and synthesize the seven previous systematic reviews in identifying holistic trends, factors, and conditions that have been reviewed and reported by them towards understanding the successful enhancement of student learning outcomes in this platform. The potential combinations of trends, factors, and conditions that emerged from the syntheses can act as a more holistic predetermined trends, factors and conditions for future improvement on the systematic review research. This study identified and categorized the trends, factors and conditions emerged under three different categories (i.e. general current trends, factors influencing ODF learning outcome (independent variables), and the achievement of ODF learning outcomes (dependent variables)). First and foremost, this study found that the general current trends reported on the ODF research area were based on the research site by region, academic context and academic discipline, forum platform, number of papers per year and research papers per journal, research design, type of analysis, and analysis framework. Next, in terms of the factors and conditions influencing the learning outcome of ODF, previous systematic reviews have reported their findings in terms of (i) stating the purpose in learning activity in ODF, (ii) protocol used in ODF, (iii) pedagogical strategies used in ODF, (iv) assessment used in ODF, (v) moderation used in ODF, (vi) student characteristics in ODF, and (vii) technology issues in ODF. Finally, in terms of the factors and conditions influencing the achievement of ODF learning outcome, they have reported their findings in terms of (i) thinking skills, (ii) achievement, (iii) social construction of knowledge, (iv) communication skills, and (v) others. The findings can help guide novice researchers in finding research gap from previous ODF studies and create opportunity that include forming an important reference base for a more holistic future systematic review in ODF field.