The Forum Factor: Exploring the Link between Online Discourse and Student Achievement in Higher Education

The growth of digital education has expanded the use of online forums like Piazza. However, their impact on academic achievement is still being determined. This study investigates the relationship between Piazza engagement and academic performance in computer science. We explored four hypotheses: Piazza activity rates, endorsements, post frequency on assessments, and pre-assessment viewing habits. Data analysis from an extensive programming course showed that active Piazza users and endorsed students performed significantly better academically. While the number of posts related to assessments was generally not correlated with performance, students who viewed more posts about an assessment within a week of its due date tended to perform better.