Gender Diferences in College Students’ Behaviors in an Online Quesion-answer Discussion Acivity Shan-Shan Cheng Naional Central University, Taiwan Eric Zhi-Feng Liu* Naional Central University, Taiwan totem@cc.ncu.edu.tw Nian-Shing Chen Naional Sun Yat-sen University Ru-Chu Shih Naional Pingtung University of Science and Technology Chiung-Sui Chang Tamkang University, Taiwan The Asia-Paciic Education Researcher 21:2 (2012), pp. 244-256 Copyright © 2012 De La Salle University, Philippines Social cognitive theory emphasizes the relationship among personal (P), behavioral (B), and environmental (E) factors. This study draws on the social cognitive perspective to examine the relationship among gender, learning performance, and online behaviors in an online question-answer discussion activity. Online behaviors include the number of times a student logs in, asks questions, and gives responses. Questions are classiied as either administrative, factual, comprehensive, or integrated. A total of 105 junior college students majoring in Information Management (MIS) (48 female and 57 male students) from northern Taiwan took a face-to-face General English Proiciency Test (GEPT) preparation course. The students used a discussion forum to ask questions, answer questions, discuss related issues, and exchange learning information. The results indicate that gender differences (P) resulted in different online discussion behaviors (B). In addition, the types of question asked (E) by male and female students (P) were different. Based on the relationships found among these variables, this study provides some suggestions to teachers for better facilitating learning in discussion forums. Keywords: Computer-mediated communication; interactive learning environments; gender differences; improving online learning In online discussion forums, asking questions is an essential learning activity. Some researchers believe asking questions helps learners construct knowledge (Hou, Chang, & Sung, 2008; King, 1994, 1995; Richardson, 1997), and different types of questions will trigger different cognitive activities among learners and yield various types of replies from other learners (King, 1994, 1995). Toledo’s (2006) research showed that good questions help students engage in deep thinking and elicit responses that require deeper thinking than mere factual answers.. She also suggested that teachers have to provide models of good question-asking techniques to students when leading online discussions (Toledo, 2006). Although most people know that asking questions drives thinking, little research systematically investigates online question-answer discussion activities. To help us better understand the relationships between online discussion activities, learners’ characteristics, and learners’ online behaviors, this paper systematically investigates students’ online question-answer discussion activities. The perspective of social cognitive theory indicates that an individual’s personal inluences (P), behaviors (B), and social environment inluences (E) interact with one