Interpersonal exchanges in discussion forums: A study of learning communities in distance learning settings

Cooperative relationships are the foundation of a model of online learning based on communities. The development of a community depends on the interaction between community members. This study is based on the belief that the dynamics of exchange of thought, from a Piagetian perspective, are one possibility for understanding the process of interaction within a virtual community. The study therefore investigates the dynamics of conversations in discussion forums in order to lead to an understanding of the processes involved in the formation of virtual learning communities. The research path involved content analysis of messages, interaction mapping and an analysis of the relationship between them. The results indicate that there is a relationship between the texts of discussion forum messages and continuation of interpersonal exchanges.