I.

Background:

In this research paper we are going to evaluate "Quality assurance and Control

in instruction course" offered to ILT departments' students in Sultan Qaboos

University, with Doctor Kumar Laximan. This course is all about providing

students with the sufficient knowledge about the subject of controlling quality

in instruction and helping them develop their online skill like participation in

online discussions and communicating with other students and the instructor.

In this research we are going to evaluate one of the interaction components of

this course (pedagogically & technically) which is discussion boards.

a. Problem Statement:

The purpose of this paper is to measure student interaction regarding to the

discussion forums in this course.

b. Research Questions:

What indicators can be used to measure student's interaction?

II. Instruments:

a. Description:

we are going to use 2 main instruments to measure students' interaction in

the discussion forums which are an observation criteria and interaction

checklist. The interaction checklist is driven from the World Wide Web

and consisted of two parts which are: social interaction and cognitive

interaction. It is measured by (yes, medium, no) scale. The second

 instrument is an observation criteria consisted of 6 items that measure

student interaction.

b. Audience:

These instruments will be implemented for students who are enrolled in

the quality assurance and control course.

III. Results:

The proposed observation criteria had been implemented by the researchers by

observing the discussion forum of the "Quality assurance and control course" and

noticing students' responses, and then filling the observation items. The results

showed that:

1. There is no topic for students to introduce themselves.

2. All topics are content related.

3. A lot of statements give comments, additional explanation and

feedback on students' posts.

4. Students implement the tutor's criteria of posting messages.

5. Some of the responses accept other's posts with agree/ disagree

only statements.

Second, results from the given checklist had shown that:

 20% of the students think that: the discussion

forum of the course includes opportunities for

personal introductions and interaction, whereas

50 % disagree and 30% neutral.

 30% of students think that it contains social-

building activities, 40% disagree and 20%

neutral.
 No students agreed that the discussion forum

models social skill or performance, whereas 40%

disagree and 60% neutral.

 20% of the students think that: the discussion

forum of the course allows for quality student-

instructor interaction, 30% neutral and 40

disagree.

 20% of the students think that: the discussion

forum of the course Includes group activities

that foster learning communities, while 30%

neutral and 40% disagree.

 30%of the students think that: the discussion

forum of the course Allows for quality student-

student interaction, 50% disagreed.

 No students think that: the discussion forum of

the course Provides feedback that is

appropriate, timely and relevant, 40 neutral and

50% disagreed.

 No students think that: the discussion forum of

the course Provides instructor’s modeling of

required cognitive skill or performance, 40%

neutral and 50% disagreed.

 No students think that: the discussion forum of

the course Provides for a variety of formats,

 roles, and levels of communication, 70% neutral

and 20% are disagree.

IV. Appendix:

The following table shows the observation criteria used to measure students'

interaction:

No. Item Yes No comments

1  Self-introduction.
2  Statements that social in
nature.
3  Statements that comment in
another message.
4  Responding to the tutor's
views or advises.
5  Responding to accept
others’ views and opinions
without explanation.
 There is no topic for students to
introduce themselves.
 All topics are content related.
 A lot of statements give comments,
additional explanation and feedback
on students' posts.
 Students implement the tutor's
criteria of posting messages.
 Some of the responses accept other's
posts with agree/ disagree only
statements.

The following table shows the interaction checklist used to measure students'

interaction:

No. Statement Yes Mediu No

H m low

igh
1: Social 1) Includes opportunities
for personal
introductions and
interaction
interaction
2) Contains social-building
activities
3) Models social skill or
performance
2: Cognitive 1) Allows for quality
student-instructor
interaction
interaction:
2) Includes group
activities that foster
learning communities
3) Allows for quality
student-student
interaction
4) Provides feedback that
is appropriate, timely
and relevant
5) Provides instructor’s
modeling of required
cognitive skill or
performance
6) Provides for a variety
of formats, roles, and
levels of
communication

V. References:

http://trc.csusb.edu/CenterResources/instructional_quality/checklist.pdf