ForumDash: analyzing online discussion forums

Since introducing Internet-based distance education programs in 1996, Drexel University has gained recognition as an online education leader. Remaining at the vanguard means finding innovative, automated solutions to determine which students are contributing to thoughtful discussion, helping faculty engage with online students more efficiently, and spending less time managing ever more complex Learning Management Systems (LMS). We introduce ForumDash, a BBLearn plugin for the Blackboard LMS1, designed to enhance online learning. Through its three visualization tools, ForumDash shows instructors which students are contributing, struggling, or distracted, thereby helping instructors target their efforts, save time managing online courses, and scale course tools up to the level of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). ForumDash also provides students with performance feedback, showing them whether their participation levels are satisfactory. Initial testing with two Drexel University Online courses produced positive feedback, and larger scale testing is in progress.