EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF CASE-BASED DISCUSSIONS ON STUDENT UNDERSTANDING AND ENGAGEMENT IN AN ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of case-based discussions on student understanding and engagement within an asynchronous online learning environment. Employing a pre-experimental design, 12 students enrolled in the Master’s program in Early Childhood Education at Universitas Terbuka participated in the research. The students were engaged in case-based discussions over five weeks, and their understanding was assessed through evaluation rubrics, while engagement was measured via forum participation analysis and questionnaires. The results showed a strong positive correlation between engagement and understanding, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.601 (p < 0.05). The findings highlight that students who were more actively engaged in the discussions demonstrated a better understanding of the course material. This study concludes that case-based discussions are an effective strategy to foster student engagement and deepen understanding in asynchronous online learning environments. The implications suggest that this method can be a valuable pedagogical tool for enhancing learning outcomes in various educational contexts, particularly in online learning frameworks.