Promoting active learning with forum discussion activities in an Advanced Cosmetology course

Authors

  • Joana Marques Marto
  • Nuno Ricardo Oliveira
  • Helena Margarida Ribeiro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34117/bjdv11n8-037

Keywords:

active learning, postgraduate course, forum activities, five-stage model, STEM, advanced cosmetology

Abstract

The Faculty of Pharmacy at University of Lisbon developed a blended learning postgraduate course in Advanced Cosmetology in recent years. The aim of this postgraduate course in the field of pharmaceutical sciences, is to enable the students to perform all activities related to cosmetics in a flexible and personalized learning mode. Different activities anchored in the active learning principles, mainly to be carried out on discussion forums, were designed to promote students’ engagement, achievement, and satisfaction throughout the learning experience. This work presents the results of the satisfaction survey based on the E-learning in Capacity Building Check Benchmark method and conducted at the end of the sixth edition held in 2021, which indicate that most participants were satisfied or very satisfied with the different course’s forums and activities. Forums integrated in an active learning approach proved to be an effective tool to motivate students and keep them engaged in their learning experience. In conclusion, these tools support the student in a more autonomous, active, and flexible learning process.

References

ABAWAJY, J. & Kim, T. (2011). Engaging and Effective Asynchronous Online Discussion Forums. In T. Kim, H. Adeli, H. Kim, H. Kang, K. J. Kim, A. Kiumi, & B.-H. Kang (Eds.), Software Engineering, Business Continuity, and Education (pp. 695–705). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27207-

ABAWAJY, J. & Kim, T. H. (2011) Online Learning Environment: Taxonomy of Asynchronous Online Discussion Forums. Commun. Comput. Inf. Sci., 257, 706–714. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27207-3_76

ABAWAJY, J. (2012). Analysis of asynchronous online discussion forums for collaborative learning. Int. J. Educ. Learn., 1, 11–21. http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30049653

AFIFY, M. K. (2019). The Influence of Group Size in the Asynchronous Online Discussions on the Development of Critical Thinking Skills, and on Improving Students’ Performance in Online Discussion Forum. Int. J. Emerg. Technol., 14. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v14i05.9351

ALAHMARI, A. A. (2018). A mixed methods study of the implementation of collaborative technology tools for enhancing collaboration and student engagement in online learning: faculty experiences and student perspectives. Theses and Dissertations. http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2019.Alahmari.A

AL-HUSBAN, N.A. (2020). Critical thinking skills in asynchronous discussion forums: A case study. Int. J. Technol. Educ., 3, 82–91. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijte.v3i2.22

Anderson, T. (2003). Getting the mix right again: An updated and theoretical rationale for interaction. Int. Rev. Res. Open and Distributed Learn., 4, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v4i2.149

ANDRESEN, M. A. (2009). Asynchronous discussion forums: Success factors, outcomes, assessments, and limitations. J. Educ. Technol. Soc., 12, 249–257.

Armellini, A., & Padilla Rodriguez, B. C. (2021). Active Blended Learning: Definition, Literature Review, and a Framework for Implementation. In B. Padilla Rodriguez, & A. Armellini (Ed.), Cases on Active Blended Learning in Higher Education (pp. 1-22). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7856-8.ch001

BENBUNAN-FICH, R. & Hiltz, S.R. (1999) Impacts of Asynchronous Learning Networks on Individual and Group Problem Solving: A Field Experiment; Group. Decis. Nego, 8, 409–426. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008669710763

CAMPANA, K., & Tsan, K. (2020). The theories behind active learning. In I. Ahamad, A. Bega, K. Campana, Y. L. McDowell, A. Restrepo, T. Srivatanakul, & K. Tsan (Eds.), Open Pedagogy Resource: Active Learning Prompts for Mathematics and Computer Science Faculty. CUNY. https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/read/open-pedagogy-resource-active-learning-prompts-for-mathematics-and-computer-science-faculty/section/8421b326-e104-48bd-a677-85de4040a576

CHEN, B., Bastedo, K., & Howard, W. (2018, June 1). Exploring Best Practices for Online STEM Courses: Active Learning, Interaction & Assessment Design. Online Learning, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v22i2.1369

LIMA, D. R., Gerosa, M.A., Conte, T. U. & Netto, J. F. M. (2019). What to Expect, and How to Improve Online Discussion Forums: The Instructors’ Perspective. J. Internet Serv. Appl., 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13174-019-0120-0

DELAHUNTY, J. (2018). Connecting to Learn, Learning to Connect: Thinking Together in Asynchronous Forum Discussion. Linguistics Educ., 46, 12–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2018.05.003

DIXSON, M. D. (2012). Creating Effective Student Engagement in Online Courses: What Do Students Find Engaging? Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10; 1–13.

EHLERS, U. D. (2010). Open ECBCheck - Low cost, community-based certification for E-learning in Capacity Building, InWEnt – Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung gGmbH Capacity Building International, Bonn.

Filippo, D., Fuks, H. & Lucena, C. (2009) Discussion Forum Coordination Support in Distance Courses. Scientia, 20. 25–40. https://doi.org/10.4013/sct.2009.20.1.03

FOO, S. Y. & Quek, L. (2019) Developing Students’ Critical Thinking through Asynchronous Online Discussions: A Literature Review. Malaysian Online J. Educ. Manag., 7, 37-58. https://doi.org/10.17220/mojet.2019.02.003

GIACUMO, L.A. & Savenye, W. (2020) Asynchronous discussion forum design to support cognition: Effects of rubrics and instructor prompts on learner’s critical thinking, achievement, and satisfaction. Educ. Technol. Res. Develop., 68, 37–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09664-5

GRAHAM, C. (2013). Emerging Practice and Research in Blended Learning. In Michael Grahame Moore (Eds.), Handbook of Distance Education (3rd ed., pp. 333–350). Routledge Handbooks Online, UK, https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203803738.ch21

GRIFFIN, S. (2019). The Effects and Benefits of Asynchronous Fora: A Student Perspective. In Brown, M., Nic Giolla Mhichil, M., Beirne, E., Costello, E. (Eds.), Proceedings of the World Conference on Online Learning (pp. 370–378).

HARTIKAINEN, S., Rintala, H., Pylväs, L., & Nokelainen, P. (2019). The Concept of Active Learning and the Measurement of Learning Outcomes: A Review of Research in Engineering Higher Education. Education Sciences, 9(4), 276. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9040276

HERNÁNDEZ-DE-MENÉNDEZ, M., Guevara, A. V., Tudón, J. M., Alcántara, D. H., & Morales-Menéndez, R. (2019). Active learning in engineering education. A review of fundamentals, best practices and experiences. International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-019-00557-8

HWEE, J., Koh, L.; Herring, S.C. & Foon Hew, K. (2010) Project-Based Learning and Student Knowledge Construction during Asynchronous Online Discussion. Internet High. Educ., 13, 284-291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.09.003

JEONG, J. S., González-Gómez, D., Cañada-Cañada, F., Gallego-Picó, A., & Bravo, J. C. (2019). Effects of active learning methodologies on the students' emotions, self-efficacy beliefs and learning outcomes in a science distance learning course. JOTSE: Journal of Technology and Science Education, 9(2), 217–227. http://dx.doi.org/10.3926/jotse.530

JOHNSON, S. (2014). Applying the seven principles of good practice: technology as a lever - in an online research course. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 13(2), 41–50. ISSN 1541–4914

KAUFFMAN, H. (2015) A Review of Predictive Factors of Student Success in and Satisfaction with Online Learning. Res. Learn. Technol., 23, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v23.26507

KERRIGAN, J. (2018). Active learning strategies for the mathematics classroom. College Teaching, 66(1), 35-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2017.1399335

LAMON S., Knowles O., Hendy A., Story I. & Currey J. (2020) Active Learning to

Improve Student Learning Experiences in an Online Postgraduate Course. Front. Educ. 5:598560. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.598560

MALKIN, A., Rehfeldt, R. A. & Shayter, A. M. (2018). An investigation of the efficacy of asynchronous discussion on students’ performance in an online research method course. Behav. Anal. Pract., 11, 274–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0157-5

MEBERT, L., Barnes, R., Dalley, J., Gawarecki, L., Ghazi-Nezami, F., Shafer, G., Slater,

J., & Yezbick, E. (2020, January 1). Fostering student engagement through a real-world, collaborative project across disciplines and institutions. Higher Education Pedagogies, 5(1), 30–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/23752696.2020.1750306

MEHALL, S. (2020). Purposeful interpersonal interaction in online learning: What is it and how is it measured? Online Learn. J., 24, 182–204. http://dx.doi.org/10.24059/olj.v24i1.2002

METZ, C. J., & Metz, M. J. (2022). The benefits of incorporating active learning into online, asynchronous coursework in dental physiology. Advances in physiology education, 46(1), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00110.2021

MICHAEL, J. (2006). Where's the evidence that active learning works? Advances in physiology education, 30, 159-167. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00053.2006

MÍNGUEZ-AROCA, F., Moll-López, S., Llobregat-Gómez, N. & Sánchez-Ruiz, L. M. (2022) A Cuboid Registers Topic, Activity and Competency Data to Exude Feedforward and Continuous Assessment of Competencies. Mathematics, 10(3), 415. https://doi.org/10.3390/math10030415

PARKS‐STAMM, E. J., Zafonte, M. & Palenque, S. M. (2017). The Effects of Instructor Participation and Class Size on Student Participation in an Online Class Discussion Forum. Br J Educ Technol., 48, 1250–1259. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12512

Presidência do Conselho de Ministros. (2019). “Decreto-Lei n.o 133/2019”, Diário da República 1.ª série 168 (setembro): 49-57. https://dre.pt/dre/detalhe/decreto-lei/133-2019-124392062

SALMON, G. (2011). E-moderating: The Key to Teaching and Learning Online (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203816684

SALMON, G. (2013). E-tivities: The Key to Active Online Learning. Taylor & Francis.

Salmon, G. (n.d.). E-tivities – Introduction. Gilly Salmon. https://www.gillysalmon.com/e-tivities.html

SANDRONE, S., Scott, G., Anderson, W. J., & Musunuru, K. (2021). Active learning-based

STEM education for in-person and online learning. Cell, 184(6), 1409–1414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.01.045

SHEN, D., Cho, M.-H., Tsai, C.-L., & Marra, R. (2013). Unpacking online learning experiences: Online learning self-efficacy and learning satisfaction. The Internet and Higher Education, 19, 10–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2013.04.001

SIVANANDAN, P., Rajandram, K. V., & Chan, H. R. (2014). Online Forum: A Platform that Affects Students’ Learning? International journal for innovation education and research, 2, 105-117. https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol2.iss11.272

SZABO, Z. (2015). Better together: Teams and discourse in asynchronous online discussion forums. J. Psychol. Educ. Res. (JPER), 23, 73–88.

TANIS, C. J. (2020). The seven principles of online learning: Feedback from faculty and alumni on its importance for teaching and learning. Research in Learning Technology, 28. https://doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v28.2319

TIBI, M. H. (2016). Essential components in structuring asynchronous discussion forums. Turk. Online J. Distance Educ., 17, 88-97. https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.12429

VAUGHAN, N. & Garrison, D. R. (2005) Creating cognitive presence in a blended faculty development community. Internet High. Educ. 8, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2004.11.001

VENTON, B. J. & Pompano, R. R. (2021) Strategies for enhancing remote student engagement through active learning. Anal Bioanal Chem, 413. 1507–1512. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-021-03159-0

Downloads

Published

2025-08-21

How to Cite

Marto, J. M., Oliveira, N. R., & Ribeiro, H. M. (2025). Promoting active learning with forum discussion activities in an Advanced Cosmetology course. Brazilian Journal of Development, 11(8), e81657. https://doi.org/10.34117/bjdv11n8-037

Issue

Section

Original Papers