Designing and implementing online discussion forums: an Australian case study

Effective online learning requires both teachers and students to move beyond traditional face-to-face and correspondence modes and adopt strategies that take advantage of the flexibility and connectivity in the virtual or online classroom. In higher education, a common approach to connectivity is the use of online discussion forums, so the design and implementation of these forums significantly impacts on students' learning experience and outcomes. The case study used a grounded theory approach to generate insights into the critical success factors that promote student learning outcomes in online discussion forums in an Australian post-graduate online course. The paper outlines the findings and presents recommendations for the effective design of online forums.