Abstract

A faculty of education has changed one postgraduate program from a fully residential offering to a blended model of teaching and learning. The change to a blended model necessitated the exploration of various online options. One such tool is an asynchronous discussion forum to engage students online. This project considered students’ experiences of this online asynchronous conversation in comparison to a face-to-face (traditional) in-person class discussion. As a relatively new mode of teaching and learning, students’ experiences can help inform and advance the improvement of student online engagement. This project was framed by Vygotsky’s social cultural theory. The Integrated Learning Design Framework was used to design a meaningful learning opportunity for students. This framework also served as an opportunity to improve on the development of future learning activities for a blended model of teaching and learning. Data was collected through an online survey before engagement in the online conversation. Thereafter, students completed a questionnaire on their experiences. The findings indicate that although students appreciate the flexibility of the tool, they still prefer in-class conversations. Suggestions to improve the experience of online social learning include the addition of synchronous online activities. It is concluded that both synchronous and asynchronous online engagements are necessary for meaningful learning experiences.