Survey example: Online Course Student survey about discussion forum usability

Create conversational survey example by chatting with AI.

This is an example of an AI survey for Online Course Students about discussion forum usability. If you're curious how it works or want inspiration, see and try the example now to experience it firsthand.

We all know how challenging it can be to actually get useful feedback from students about online course discussion forums—traditional surveys rarely get to the heart of the issue.

Every tool mentioned in this guide is powered by Specific, a proven leader in smart, conversational survey technology designed to make meaningful feedback easy and actionable.

What is a conversational survey and why AI makes it better for online course students

Creating a student feedback survey that truly captures how people use (or avoid) course discussion boards isn't as simple as tossing together multiple-choice questions. Most traditional surveys make students feel like they're filling out paperwork instead of having a conversation about something that matters to them.

Conversational surveys—especially those created with an AI survey builder—change the experience. Instead of static forms, students chat naturally, much like they would with a peer. That's where AI makes a real difference: it adapts, responds, and asks smart follow-ups on the spot, leading to richer, more candid responses.

Let's be clear about the stakes: In online education, discussion forums directly impact engagement and success. Courses with active communities report completion rates 30-40% higher than those without. But engagement isn't a given—one study found most students neither read nor posted in their course forum, partly due to discomfort or clunky user experience. [1][2] To dig into what's working (or not), you need a survey that asks the right questions in a way that's inviting and dynamic.

Manual survey

AI-generated survey

Bland, static questions

Dynamic, conversational questioning

Easily skipped, often abandoned

Feels personal, drives higher completion

Requires manual follow-up for clarity

Asks smart, AI-powered clarifying questions instantly

10-30% typical response rate

70-90% response rate with AI-powered surveys [3]

Why use AI for online course student surveys?

  • AI adapts the conversation, instantly clarifying unclear responses and uncovering real pain points or blockers

  • Students engage more when feedback feels like a dialogue, not an obligation

  • Response rates are dramatically higher—up to three times more likely compared to static surveys [3]

Through Specific, you get the most frictionless conversational survey experience available, with the AI handling the heavy lifting for both you and your students. For a breakdown of the best prompts and strategies, check out best questions for online course student survey about discussion forum usability.

Automatic follow-up questions based on previous reply

Ever received a vague survey answer and wished you could immediately ask, "What did you mean by that?" This is where Specific shines. The AI doesn't just log responses—it listens, adapts, and automatically generates follow-up questions in real time, just like a seasoned researcher.

Instead of chasing people down with clumsy email follow-ups, the survey does the probing for you. This is automatic AI follow-up questions in action. The result? Clearer, more useful data—and a much smoother experience for students.

  • Student: "I find the forum a little confusing."

  • AI follow-up: "Can you share what’s confusing about it? Is it the layout, the notifications, or something else?"

  • Student: "I don't usually post much."

  • AI follow-up: "Is there something that keeps you from posting, or do you just prefer reading?"

You can see how a single initial answer unfolds into a revealing discussion, all inside the survey itself, no extra messages needed. If you've never experienced a survey that adapts on the fly, I urge you to try generating a survey with Specific or dive right in with this AI survey example now.

Followup questions done right turn a rigid questionnaire into a real conversation—this is what puts the "conversational" in conversational survey.

Easy editing, like magic

Editing surveys used to mean fumbling with forms and logic trees. With Specific, you edit surveys as easily as chatting. Just say what you want changed—the AI editor takes care of everything in seconds. Need to reword a question, clarify an instruction, or add a follow-up? Just type your request; the AI survey editor brings expert-level changes instantly. No tedious manual adjustments, no guesswork, just a survey that’s always right for your needs.

Delivery: landing page and in-product survey options

Getting your online course student discussion forum usability survey in front of the right people should be effortless. Specific offers the two most effective distribution methods:

  • Sharable landing page surveys: Perfect if you want to email the survey to students, post the link inside your LMS, or share it with a cohort. Paste the link anywhere students gather—a class newsletter, a Discord, or even Slack. One click and they're in.

  • In-product surveys: If your online course has its own platform or custom web app, embed the survey directly where students already spend time. For example, you can trigger the survey after a module, or when someone visits the discussion forum—capturing contextual feedback at the ideal moment.

For most courses, landing page delivery is easiest, but if you want to harness feedback at the point of use, in-product surveys are unmatched.

Instant AI-powered survey analysis

Collecting feedback is only half the battle. Specific’s AI survey analysis instantly summarizes responses, spots key topics, and pulls out actionable insights from every conversation—no spreadsheets, no wrestling with data.

Features like automated theming and the ability to chat with AI about your survey results make it insanely easy to interpret open-ended responses. To dig deeper into AI-powered analysis, see how to analyze online course student discussion forum usability survey responses with AI.

Analyzing survey responses with AI means you understand what students are really saying—right away.

See this discussion forum usability survey example now

Ready to see real conversational feedback in action? Experience how AI-powered surveys can transform the way you collect and understand student input—deeper insights, higher response rates, and a process that just works.

Try it out. It's fun!

Sources

  1. New Zenler. How online communities are revolutionising course completion rates and student success

  2. arXiv. Exploring Thread Participation and Engagement of Students on Educational Discussion Forums

  3. SuperAGI. AI vs Traditional Surveys: A Comparative Analysis of Automation, Accuracy, and User Engagement in 2025

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Adam Sabla

Adam Sabla is an entrepreneur with experience building startups that serve over 1M customers, including Disney, Netflix, and BBC, with a strong passion for automation.