Online courses have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their flexibility, enabling students to study from anywhere and at any time. Several advantages of online learning have been reported in the literature, including easy accessibility to knowledge, flexibility, proper content delivery, content standardization, personalized instruction, self-pacing, interactivity, and increased convenience [1]. However, while online learning has benefits, it also poses challenges, such as students feeling disconnected and isolated, poor communication, students having difficulty understanding content, connectivity challenges, and mental health issues [2]. Therefore, to build on these benefits and address challenges, it is essential to create a strong sense of community to support students’ learning [3]. One way to do this is through online asynchronous discussions, which can promote engagement and a sense of belonging [4]. Online discussions can promote deep learning by developing skills in asking questions and assessing responses, bridging the communication gap between lecturers, students, and content knowledge [4]. In this regard, a community is crucial for successful online learning. The term online community can be defined as a group of diverse individuals who meet online for a common purpose and engage in learning activities to solve problems or address issues [5]. To achieve their goals, students need to form a community in a communication platform that enables interaction with one another, facilitators, and module content. Being part of a community is integral to the human experience and central to recent learning theories. A learning community is the creation of a sense of belonging by a group of students, where students trust one another, construct knowledge, share useful information, and establish connections by getting to know one another [6]. Therefore, building a learning community should start at the beginning of a course and continue throughout the learning period [7]. Additionally, the authors argue that both students and instructors should be involved in building the learning community. In an effective learning community, learning is negotiated through critical yet constructive communication, and all participants feel respected and safe. Asynchronous, threaded discussions have the potential to effectively create a collaborative learning environment as well as interpersonal and group dynamics [3]. Various factors, including access to technology, student and facilitator attitudes, and openness to the new pedagogy, must be considered when designing discussion forums that promote student–student, student–instructor, and student–content interaction [8]. Online discussions can facilitate the development of skills in asking questions, assessing responses by non-experts and experts, and helping bridge communication gaps between instructors, students, and their content knowledge [9]. Graded discussion forum participation encourages student participation; however, as Mehall [10] rightfully states, it should be carefully designed to match the purpose of the discussion forums and to ensure that the same students do not dominate.

2. Interaction

The term interaction has been associated with various terms such as cooperation, collaboration, and active learning, and no single definition exists [11]. Moore [12] was the first author to distinguish between three types of interaction: student–content, student–student, and student–instructor interaction. These types of interactions are interconnected and depend on each other. Student–content interaction takes place if students can interact with existing content and create new content and knowledge [12]. The third type of interaction, which refers to student–student interaction, affects learning outcomes positively and assists students in gaining social acceptance [13]. The research by Bouhnik and Marcus [14] confirms that one of the most influential features of online courses is the interaction between students through online discussions. The three types of interaction mentioned above are mediated by an underlying online educational platform or technology such as a learning management system that makes online learning possible [15]. These online educational platforms foster an environment conducive to enhanced interaction with students, content, and instructors. Furthermore, interaction is crucial in improving student learning outcomes and satisfaction with online learning [16]. In a study conducted by Baber [17], interaction emerged as the most significant factor influencing students’ perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic in the realm of online learning [1]. Regular student interaction with fellow students, instructors, and content is fundamental in creating an engaging, supportive, and collaborative learning environment, ultimately enhancing students’ overall learning outcomes and satisfaction. Interaction, which occurs asynchronously in online learning, needs to be purposeful to yield positive educational outcomes. Through tools such as discussion forums, online chats, and shared spaces, students can participate in collaborative activities, share ideas, and work as a team, which enriches their learning experience ^[18][19][18,19]. However, it is essential to establish pedagogical interventions that elevate student interaction to a state of collaboration rather than simply providing the means for interaction. Online discussion forums are an effective tool in this regard [20], but instructors need to avoid authoritative behavior that can hinder the formation of a learning community. Instead, they should encourage open-ended questions, respect student responses, and create an environment that promotes peer-to-peer collaboration ^[21][22][21,22]. Collaboration within an online discussion forum fosters a cooperative environment where participants actively engage and work together to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and collectively explore topics of interest [23]. Students can gain new insights and expand their knowledge base by sharing diverse perspectives. These discussions prompt students to think critically and analyze different viewpoints. They can develop reasoning and argumentation skills by considering alternative opinions and engaging in discussion forums.

3. Interaction and Discussion Forums

Online discussion forums, where students can asynchronously interact with fellow students, their instructors, and the course content, provide a space for students to learn from each other, improve their communication skills, and allow opportunities for student–student, student–instructor, and student–content interaction ^[24][25][24,25]. However, as Fiock [26] cautions, for effective interaction, discussion forums must be carefully designed to promote collaboration, encourage participation, and support the growth of individual students within the community. This can involve strategies such as scaffolding, grading, and careful facilitation to ensure that all students can participate and that the conversation remains focused on the course’s learning objectives. By using the Community of Inquiry framework for online discussion forums, instructors can create a more engaging and effective learning experience for their students in distance education settings [27]. Online discussion forums are valuable for promoting interaction, collaboration, and learning in distance education settings, and they provide a space for students to learn from each other, improve their communication skills, and develop a sense of community that supports their learning ^[27][28][27,28]. Effective discussion forums involve strategies such as scaffolding, grading, and careful facilitation to ensure that all students have an opportunity to participate and that the conversation remains focused on the course’s learning objective ^[29][30][29,30]. Despite the numerous benefits of online discussion forums, there is little guidance on using them effectively to create a learning community in a symbol-rich, abstract discipline such as ODeL contexts ^[28][30][28,30].