How to overcome ‘forum fatigue’ with activities that students enjoy

Educators see the value in asynchronous online forums in distance-learning education. They use them to encourage student engagement with, and discussion of, the course content; they see students using forums to get to know their peers and feel part of a wider learning community. 

Students, however, are not always convinced. Many find forum activities or discussions inconvenient and time-consuming, and the lack of or delay in responses from other students frustrating. This “forum fatigue” leads students to disengage. Consequently, tutors often complain that student participation in course online forums isn’t at the level where we would like it to be.

But how much participation is required to reap the benefits? Does it matter if a student only posts a few times on a course forum? 

Our research suggests not. Our longitudinal mixed-methods research, funded by FASSTEST at the Open University, the UK’s largest distance-learning university, found quantitative evidence that any level of student participation in online forums increases the odds of student retention and improves academic performance. Even posting a few times can have a positive “forum effect” in preventing a student from dropping out. 

• Boost learning with online student discussion forums
• The art and science of online discussion forums
• Tips for successful asynchronous teaching: supporting students, part two

So, what can we do to encourage more of our students to engage with online forums? 

Interviews with students highlighted key factors that affect student participation in forums. These findings allowed us to formulate an “ideal recipe” for designing forum activities that are most likely to elicit student participation and aid retention efforts. 

This recipe for forum activities or discussions includes the following elements:

1. Embed forum activities in course materials at frequent, regular intervals

Behavioural “nudges” are important marketing and psychological tools. Just as a child’s school might remind us of the importance of full attendance, students in higher education also need to be prompted to participate in forums at regular intervals throughout their courses – and made aware of the benefits of participating in them. We recommend including a forum activity every two to four weeks that obligates the student to post their answers or comments on the forum.

2. Tell students clearly that they should read and respond to their peers’ posts 

Another key aspect of participation in the forums is reading other students’ posts and responding to them. This helps to address the demotivating forum fatigue students feel when their posts aren’t responded to, and even passive engagement in forums through reading posts has a positive effect on student learning. Online forum data analytics can track the number of students reading posts and can give an indication of the passive learning taking place on your course. 

3. Forum activities should not be too time-consuming

For those students focused on strategic learning, forum participation can be inconvenient and time-consuming, so keep activities to 10 to 20 minutes. If students see that they can participate in a relatively short time, they are more likely to engage, especially those who are juggling work and home life with their studies. As any participation in the forums has a positive effect on student learning, even a short activity can be beneficial.

4. Make forum activities easily accessible 

If activities are too difficult or demanding, students won’t participate at all, so it’s best to choose topics that are at a level all students can engage with. After all, the point of forum activities is to engage students in the course materials. Open-ended discussion topics allow students of different abilities to make contributions according to their level of performance. For example, asking students to find a recent newspaper article related to the developments or trends in a sector of the economy and then summarise the main points in their forum post is an activity that all students can participate in.

5. Allow students to draw on their own experiences from work or their personal lives

Forum activities that ask students to draw on their authentic experiences make the task and course content more relevant to their own lives. Students also want to connect with their peers, so these types of activities can allow them to find out more about each other. Activities that ask students to think about their employability skills more generally can also be a useful hook to engage students. For example, asking students to reflect on the workplace skills they’ve developed during their studies can lead to an engaging discussion. 

6. Use news articles or other media to connect course topics to real-world events or issues

Activities that connect course materials with real-world events and contemporary issues generate greater interest from students as these show how the topics they are studying are applicable beyond the university. For example, a news article or video report on the government budget can spark a conversation related to fiscal policy and taxation among students. 

In distance and blended learning, online forums are a place for students to dive into course content, interact with each other and find peer support, which ultimately benefits their learning and retention. Designing activities that facilitate this most effectively is an important part of the overall course design and shouldn’t be overlooked. 

Emilie Rutledge is head of economics and a senior lecturer at the Open University. She is also managing editor of the Journal of Gulf Studies.