This article addresses two components essential to becoming a successful online education student. The first component being active participation of students in the discussion forum and the next being mediator or instructor influence over the on online classroom experience. The central point of the article discussion is on whether active participation makes a significant difference to the learning process, the quality of student work, and the eventual successful completion of their study program. As a product of an institution that is fifty percent online classes, and fifty percent brick and mortar. I have at one time or another during my two and half year program I admit to having to been a read-only student. While working on my undergraduate degree, online classes were at times better suited to fit my work schedule, and other life responsibilities. My obstacles to being a more participatory student was time management, and outside pressures. Having the time to login in to the LMS and read my cohorts post and actively reply was sometimes difficult to fit into my daily life. This article doesn’t address the outside factors such as family, work, and time management that contributes to some students being “read-only” students.
The hypothesis of the study is composed of two questions, what is the effect of active participation on the success of a student in an online classroom? The second question is, how great of an effect does the classroom facilitator have in encourage students to be more interactive in the community