Publications

Universities are exploring pedagogical approaches to learning in order to deal with challenges such as increasedclass sizes, limited funding support, and difficulties in facilitating and encouraging active participation and learningamong a diverse cohort of students. This paper reports on a study of the effectiveness of a pedagogical approach thatblends online discussion board and case study. Analyzing the quantity and quality of online postings and comparingaccounting students’ performance with previous cohorts, this study observes a significant improvement in studentlearning. Appropriate design and delivery strategies and clear assessment criteria for assessment and use haveprovided an effective learning vehicle for students, helped them overcome their own language-related barriers andencouraged them to participate in a non-threatening environment. This approach further complemented the benefitsof peer-to-peer learning and case study pedagogy. Reported increases in workload for students and marking loadfor academics and measuring the values of learning, however, are some of the challenges that need further attentionby researchers. The system has been designed to do a whole lot more than just reduce class discussions. It can make asignificant contribution to a University’s learning and performance among the students. Online academicdiscussion systems make it possible for students to conduct discussions online, which helps them to boost theirlearning. The main purpose of developing this system is to provide effective discussions that increase criti calthinking among the students