Microanalytic case studies of individual participation patterns in an asynchronous online discussion in an undergraduate blended course

This study presents three case studies of students' participation patterns in an online discussion to address the gap in our current understanding of how individuals experience asynchronous learning environments. Cases were constructed via microanalysis of log-file data, post contents, and the evolving discussion structure. The first student was Thorough, reading all the posts in the forum in sequence, revisiting different posts multiple times, and creating posts outside of the discussion tool. The second student was Self-Monitoring, revisiting his own posts multiple times, checking the discussion frequently for replies, and replying to or editing his posts in response. Finally, the third student was Independent, using the forum as a tool for her own individual reflection. The behaviors found for these cases are aligned with a theoretical taxonomy for participation proposed by Knowlton (2005). The value and limitations of the microanalytic case study approach are discussed, and implications for research and practice are suggested.

► Microanalytic case studies of log-file data probed online discussion participation.
► Activity was not uniformly minimal as past aggregate measures have suggested.
► 3 case studies are presented: thorough, self-monitoring and independent students.
► Each aligns with a level in Knowlton’s (2005) theoretical participation taxonomy.