Online+Research+and+Forums

**Definition** - Collecting information from other sources via the internet. **Examples of Online Research**
 * Online Research & Forums**
 * **Online Questionnaires** - A set of questions provided for the public, or a group of users. These questions are usually don't require much explanation. Users would usually be presented with questions that can be answered by clicking check boxes, radio buttons, choosing one option from a drop-down list, etc.
 * **Online Interviews** - They can be in real-time using instant messaging technology. They can also be conducted by email, which would not be in real-time.
 * **Online Polls** - A question would be asked and publicly posted. Users can vote for the answer that suits them best. Numerical data can be generated, showing the percentages for each answer choice.
 * **Educational Websites and Sources** - Websites that provide accurate information on certain subject areas. The information would be provided by reliable sources and/or experts in that particular area of study.

**Forums** Forums are online discussion sites where users are able to communicate with each other about a given subject. In order to participate in an online forum, users would need to have an account on the site. The discussion will be shown in the form of posts. A single discussion is called a thread. Usually, all the posts on a forum are moderated by site administrators to insure that no inappropriate remarks have been posted by any user.

Forums can be used by students and teachers to discuss educational matters. They can be used to communicate with other students outside the school community. This allows students around the world to discuss similar issues that they are facing. Teachers can share their ideas with other teachers abroad. This will be more beneficial if the users are part of similar educational programmes, such as the IB.
 * Forums in Education**

media type="youtube" key="p3xo1RipS-c" height="315" width="420" align="center" **Effects of Forums**
 * **Reliability** - Users would need to have proper Internet connection in order to access the websites.
 * **Authenticity** - Users need to log in with a username and password to authenticate themselves. This enables them to participate in the forum discussions.
 * **Globalisation** - Location is no longer an issue. Discussions can be held between users from different parts of the world.