Effects of Grouping Strategies on Asynchronous Online Discussion: Evidence From Learning Analytics and Social Network Analysis

Online discussion is an essential element of online instruction and is largely dependent upon its designing and facilitating strategies. To investigate the effects of grouping strategies on asynchronous online discussion, this study conducted a quasi-experimental research design with 178 graduate students to compare the difference in student participation and social interactions between whole-class and small-group discussion, and among groups composed of self-selected acquaintances, partial acquaintances, and randomly-assigned strangers. Based on the statistical results from learning analytics and social network analysis, the findings of this study support the superiority of small discussion groups self-formed by acquaintances, for increased learning participation and social interactions.