Assessment of learning activities in discussion forums online

This is a report intended to describe a research about assessment of learning activities done in a virtual forum. Student's messages in the forum as a whole were considered as analysis unit. It was employed a content analysis technique to identify characteristics involved in the messages. Categories and indicators for analysis were defined from the Community of Inquire Model, adapted specifically for mathematics courses. Examples selected as a guide for learning activities assessment are shown, in terms of number and type of participation, as well as result from linear correlation analysis between numbers of participations to each category.