Towards Understanding Online Question & Answer Interactions and their effects on student performance in large-scale STEM classes

Online question & answer (Q & A) is a distinctive type of online interaction that is impactful on student learning. Prior studies on online interaction in large-scale classes mainly focused on online discussion and were conducted mainly in non-STEM fields. This research aims to quantify the effects of online Q & A interactions on student performance in the context of STEM education. 218 computer science students from a large university in the southeastern United States participated in this research. Data of four online Q & A activities was mined from the online Q & A forum for the course, including three student activities (asking questions, answering questions and viewing questions/answers) and one instructor activity (answering questions/providing clarifications). These activities were found to have different effects on student performance. Viewing questions/answers was found to have the greatest effect, while interaction with instructors showed minimum effects. This research fills the gap of lacking research in online Q & A, and the results of this research can inform the effective usage of online Q & A in large-scale STEM courses.