Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Starburst: a new graphical interface to support purposeful attention to others’ posts in online discussions

  • Development Article
  • Published:
Educational Technology Research and Development Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Online discussions offer exciting potential for educational dialogue, but too often result in disjointed conversations with low levels of interactivity. One contributing cause is the traditional text-based interface, which presents posts in a long list, leaving students overwhelmed and without useful navigational cues. To address this problem, we used information visualization techniques to design a graphical discussion forum interface. Starburst presents discussion posts as a dynamic hyperbolic tree: higher-level posts initially appear as larger and more central nodes, with each level of replies appearing smaller and more towards the periphery. To evaluate the new interface, students’ discussion participation using Starburst was compared to their activity interacting with the same discussion content in a traditional text-based linear forum. Results showed that students were more purposeful in selecting which discussion threads to read when using Starburst and read new posts in a more connected fashion. Implications for the future design, use, and research of online discussions are considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Posts that are made with no reference to previous posts constitute new root nodes.

References

  • Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2011). Going the distance: Online education in the United States. Needham, MA: The Sloan Consortium.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, I. E., Seaman, J., & Garrett, R. (2007). Blending in: The extent and promise of blended education in the United States. Needham, MA: The Sloan Consortium.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aviv, R., Erlich, Z., Ravid, G., & Geva, A. (2003). Network analysis of knowledge construction in asynchronous learning networks. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(3), 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boulos, M. N., & Wheeler, S. (2007). The emerging web 2.0 social software: An enabling suite of sociable technologies in health and health care education. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 24, 2–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooke, J. (1996). SUS: A “quick and dirty” usability scale. In P. W. Jordan, B. Thomas, B. A. Weerdmeester, & A. L. McClelland (Eds.), Usability evaluation in industry (pp. 189–194). London, UK: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr-Chellman, A., & Duchastel, P. (2000). The ideal online course. British Journal of Educational Technology, 31, 229–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caswell, B., & Bielaczyc, K. (2002). Knowledge Forum: Altering the relationship between students and scientific knowledge. Education, Communication & Information, 1, 281–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, C. K., & Chan, Y. Y. (2011). Students’ views of collaboration and online participation in Knowledge Forum. Computers & Education, 57, 1445–1457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, J. C. C., Hew, K. F., & Cheung, W. S. (2009). Asynchronous online discussion thread development: Examining growth patterns and peer-facilitation techniques. Journal of Computer Assisted learning, 25, 438–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui, Y., & Wise, A. F. (2015). Identifying content-related threads in MOOC discussion forums. In Proceedings of the Second (2015) ACM Conference on Learning@ Scale (pp. 299–303). Vancouver, BC: ACM.

  • Curtis, D. D., & Lawson, M. J. (2001). Exploring collaborative online learning. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5(1), 21–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dringus, L. P., & Ellis, T. (2005). Using data mining as a strategy for assessing asynchronous discussion forums. Computers & Education, 45, 141–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engdahl, B., Köksal, M., & Marsden, G. (2005). Using treemaps to visualize threaded discussion forums on PDAs. In CHI’05 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems (pp. 1355–1358).

  • Forde, C. (2008). A virtual margin for knowledge work on the web: Design, implementation and usability testing, Unpublished masters thesis, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada.

  • Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2010). The first decade of the community of inquiry framework: A retrospective. The Internet and Higher Education, 13, 5–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guiller, J., Durndell, A., & Ross, A. (2008). Peer interaction and critical thinking: Face-to-face or online discussion? Learning and Instruction, 18, 187–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hara, N., Bonk, C. J., & Angeli, C. (2000). Content analysis of online discussion in an applied educational psychology course. Instructional Science, 28, 115–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herring, S. (1999). Interactional coherence in CMC. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication,. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.1999.tb00106.x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, J. (2003). How habitual online practices affect the development of asynchronous discussion threads. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 28, 31–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, J. (2005). Toward an understanding of how threads die in asynchronous computer conferences. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 14, 567–589.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, D., Willis, D., & Gunawardena, C. (1994). Learner-interface interaction in distance education: An extension of contemporary models and strategies for practitioners. American Journal of Distance Education, 8(2), 30–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsiao, Y. T., Wise, A. F., & Marbouti, F. (2012). The impact of task type on learners’ online interaction patterns. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association, Vancouver, Canada.

  • Johnson, B., & Shneiderman, B. (1991). Tree-maps: A space-filling approach to the visualization of hierarchical information structures. Proceedings of IEEE Information Visualization, 284–291.

  • Jonassen, D. H., & Rohrer-Murphy, L. (1999). Activity theory as a framework for designing constructivist learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47, 61–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kear, K. (2001). Following the thread in computer conferences. Computers & Education, 37, 81–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, B., & Johnson, Ph. (2006). Graphical interface for visual exploration of online discussion forums. The Journal on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, 4(4), 43–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamping, J., & Rao R. (1994). Laying out and visualization large trees using a hyperbolic space. Proceedings of the 7th ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology, 13–14.

  • Lamping, J., & Rao, R. (1996). The hyperbolic browser: A focus + context technique based on hyperbolic geometry for visualizing large hierarchies. Journal of Visual Languages and Computing, 7, 33–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, M., Gunawardena, C., & Moreira, A. (2014). Assessing social construction of knowledge online: A critique of the interaction analysis model. Computers in Human Behavior, 30, 574–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marbouti, F. (2012). Design, implementation and testing of a visual discussion forum to address new post bias, Unpublished master’s thesis, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada.

  • Nielsen, J. (1994). Guerrilla HCI: Using discount usability engineering to penetrate the intimidation barrier. In R. G. Bias & D. J. Mayhew (Eds.), Cost-justifying usability (pp. 245–272). Boston, MA: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, S., Holt, D., & Bray, S. (2008). Does the discussion help? The impact of a formally assessed online discussion on final student results. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39, 847–858.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters, V. L., & Hewitt, J. (2010). An investigation of student practices in asynchronous computer conferencing courses. Computers & Education, 54, 951–961.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Picciano, A. G. (2002). Beyond student perceptions: Issues of interaction, presence, and performance in an online course. Journal of the Asynchronous Learning Network, 6(1), 21–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pickett, R. M., Grinstein, G. G., Levkowitz, H., & Smith, S. (1995). Harnessing pre-attentive perceptual processes in visualization. In G. Grinstein & H. Levkowitz (Eds.), Perceptual issues in visualization (pp. 33–45). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Plaisant, C., Grosjean, J., & Bederson, B. B. (2002). Space tree: Supporting exploration in large node link tree, design evolution and empirical evaluation. Proceedings of IEEE Information Visualization, 57–64.

  • Quinlan, P., & Humphreys, G. (1987). Visual search for targets defined by combinations of color, shape and size: An examination of task constraints on feature and conjunction searches. Perception and Psychophysics, 41, 455–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, G. G., Mackinlay, J. D., & Card, S. K. (1993). Information visualization using 3D interactive animation. Communications of the ACM, 36(4), 57–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scardamalia, M. (2004). CSILE/Knowledge Forum. Education and technology: An encyclopedia (pp. 183–192). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. A., & Fiore, A. T. (2001). Visualization components for persistent conversations. Proceedings of the ACM CHI 2001 Human Factors in Computing Systems Conference, 136–143.

  • Spence, R. (2007). Information visualization: Design for interaction. Madrid: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, G. (2004). Building collaborative knowing. In P. W. Strijbos, P. A. Kirschner, & R. L. Martens (Eds.), What we know about CSCL and implementing it in higher education (pp. 53–85). Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishing.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, G. (2005). Group cognition in computer-assisted collaborative learning. Journal of Computer Assisted learning, 21(2), 79–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suthers, D., Vatrapu, R., Medina, R., Joseph, S., & Dwyer, N. (2008). Beyond threaded discussion: Representational guidance in asynchronous collaborative learning environments. Computer & Education, 50, 1103–1127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swan, K. (2003). Learning effectiveness: What the research tells us. In J. Bourne & J. C. Moore (Eds.), Elements of quality online education, practice and direction (pp. 13–45). Needham, MA: Sloan Center for Online Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teplovs, C. (2008). The Knowledge Space Visualizer: A tool for visualizing online discourse. Paper presented at the Common Framework for CSCL Interaction Analysis Workshop at the International Conference of the Learning Sciences 2008. Utrecht, NL.

  • Teplovs, C., Donoahue, Z., Scardamalia, M., & Philip, D. (2007). Tools for concurrent, embedded, and transformative assessment of knowledge building processes and progress. Demonstration presented at Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Conference 2007. New Brunswick, NJ.

  • Teplovs, C., & Scardamalia, M. (2007). Visualizations for knowledge building assessment. Paper presented at the AgileViz workshop, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Conference 2007. New Brunswick, NJ.

  • Thomas, M. J. W. (2002). Learning within incoherent structures: The space of online discussion forums. Journal of Computer Assisted learning, 18, 351–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wanstreet, C. E. (2009). Interaction in online learning environments. In A. Orellana, T. L. Hudgins, & M. R. Simonson (Eds.), The perfect online course: Best practices for designing and teaching (pp. 425–442). USA: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ware, C. (2004). Information visualization: Perception for design. Amsterdam: Morgan Kaufman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wegerif, R., McLaren, B. M., Chamrada, M., Scheuer, O., Mansour, N., Mikšátko, J., & Williams, M. (2010). Exploring creative thinking in graphically mediated synchronous dialogues. Computers & Education, 54, 613–621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wise, A. F., Chang, J., Duffy, T., & Del Valle, R. (2004). The effects of teacher social presence on student satisfaction, engagement, and learning. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 31(3), 247–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wise, A. F., & Chiu, M. M. (2011). Analyzing temporal patterns of knowledge construction in a role-based online discussion. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 6(3), 445–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wise, A. F., Hausknecht, S. N., & Zhao, Y. (2014a). Attending to others’ posts in asynchronous discussions: Learners’ online “listening” and its relationship to speaking. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 9(2), 185–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wise, A. F., Hsiao, Y. T., Speer, J., Marbouti, F., & Perera, N. (2012a). Initial validation of “listening” behavior typologies for online discussions using microanalytic case studies. In J. van Aalst, K. Thompson, M. Jacobson & P. Reimann (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th International Conference of the Learning Sciences 2012 (pp. 56–63). Sydney, Australia: ISLS.

  • Wise, A. F., Marbouti, F., Hsiao, Y., & Hausknecht, S. (2012b). A survey of factors contributing to learners’ “listening” behaviors in asynchronous online discussions. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 47(4), 461–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wise, A. F., & Padmanabhan, P. (2009). Seeing the forest and the trees: Visualizing the structural and temporal dimensions of asynchronous threaded online learning conversations. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association. San Diego, CA.

  • Wise, A. F., Perera, N., Hsiao, Y., Speer, J., & Marbouti, F. (2012c). Microanalytic case studies of individual participation patterns in an asynchronous online discussion in an undergraduate blended course. The Internet and Higher Education, 15(2), 108–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wise. A. F., Speer, J., Marbouti, F., & Hsiao, Y. T. (2013). Broadening the notion of participation in online discussions: Examining patterns in learners’ online listening behaviors. Instructional Science, 41(2), 323–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wise, A. F., Zhao, Y., & Hausknecht, S. N. (2014b). Learning analytics for online discussions: Embedded and extracted approaches. Journal of Learning Analytics, 1(2), 48–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, D., Sinha, T., Adamson, D. & Rose, C. P. (2013). Turn on, tune in, drop out: Anticipating student dropouts in massive open online courses. In Workshop on Data Driven Education, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 2013.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Farshid Marbouti

  2. Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, Canada

    Alyssa Friend Wise

Authors
  1. Farshid Marbouti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alyssa Friend Wise
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Farshid Marbouti.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Marbouti, F., Wise, A.F. Starburst: a new graphical interface to support purposeful attention to others’ posts in online discussions. Education Tech Research Dev 64, 87–113 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-015-9400-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-015-9400-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation