Facilitating Collaboration and Peer Learning Through Anchored Asynchronous Online Discussion Completed Research Paper

In this document we examine the collaboration and peer learning processes as articulated by students in essays that they wrote about their experience with using asynchronous online discussions for business statistics courses. The online discussions were implemented to help students succeed and overcome challenges and high failure rates in these courses due to D, F, or W grades. We implemented two forms of online discussions to help students improve their learning through the social interaction and collaboration with their peers. We conducted the study as a qualitative case study. The data from the students' essays were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding methods. The findings revealed that anchored asynchronous online discussions can help students overcome difficulties in demanding courses such as statistics. The implications for this study are notable for theory and practice. Anchoring in the online discussion can facilitate collaboration and learning from peers. This research contributes to the field of information systems by employing research that makes a difference.