Knowledge construction and misconstruction: A case study approach in asynchronous discussion using Knowledge Construction – Message Map (KCMM) and Knowledge Construction – Message Graph (KCMG)

This paper introduces a methodology for analyzing the knowledge construction and misconstruction processes occurring in online asynchronous discussion for Secondary 2 (Grade 8) students. The use of purposive sampling targeting specific students in a single course forum could potentially advance understanding of these processes using Knowledge Construction – Message Map (KCMM) and Knowledge Construction – Message Graph (KCMG). This paper traced the communication patterns and knowledge construction as well as misconstruction processes of students working in groups to formulate scientific ideas. This methodology reveals the dynamics of asynchronous discussion through mapping and quantifying the electronic learning process. This will equip educational practitioners and researchers with a useful tool for describing online interaction through adoption of a measurement methodology more systematic and effective than anecdotally. The research findings suggest that self-directed learning through asynchronous discussion has to be monitored by facilitators as learners possessed misconceptions that could potentially mislead other participants.     

Knowledge building in asynchronous discussion groups: Going beyond quantitative analysis

This contribution examines the methodological challenges involved in defining the collaborative knowledge-building processes occurring in asynchronous discussion and proposes an approach that could advance understanding of these processes. The written protocols that are available to the analyst provide an exact record of the instructional transactions at a given time in the online discussion. On the basis of a study of online discussion forums used in a higher education context, a model for the analysis of collaborative knowledge building in asynchronous discussion is presented. The model allows examination of the communication from the multiple perspectives of interaction, cognition and discourse analysis. The investigation was conducted using a qualitative case study approach and involved an in-depth examination of three cases. Content analysis of the discourse was done at a number of levels, focusing on the discussion forum itself, the discussion threads, the messages, and the exchanges and moves among the messages. As a result of correspondences found among the variables representing the different levels of the analysis, the most important being the relationship between type of interaction, phase of critical inquiry, and move in the exchange structure, it was possible to build a scheme for assessing knowledge building in asynchronous discussion groups. The scheme integrates the interactive, cognitive and discourse dimensions in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL). The study represents a merging of quantitative analysis within qualitative methodology and provides both an analytic and a holistic perspective on CSCL.     

Comparing the social knowledge construction behavioral patterns of problem-based online asynchronous discussion in e/m-learning environments

In recent years, researchers have conducted various studies on applying wireless networking technology and mobile devices in education settings. However, research on behavioral patterns in learners' online asynchronous discussions with mobile devices is limited. The purposes of this study are to develop a mobile learning system, mobile interactive teaching feedback system (MITFS), linked to both mobile devices and the internet, to support learners with online asynchronous discussion, and combine content analysis and sequential analysis to compare and contrast the social knowledge construction behavioral patterns of problem-based asynchronous discussion in e-learning and m-learning environments. This study investigated four weeks of online discussions in an “Introduction to Computer Science” course involving forty first year university students. The control group (online asynchronous discussion without mobile devices) and the experimental group (online asynchronous discussion with mobile devices) in the group discussions were explored. By using content analysis and sequential analysis for the problem-based online asynchronous discussion of the behavioral patterns and differences between students in control and experimental group, the results showed that using mobile devices in online asynchronous discussion influenced students' learning performance. Some interesting results were found. Firstly, when the students used mobile devices in discussion situations, they could more engage in reflecting thinking, sharing more information, and further facilitating social knowledge construction among group members. Secondly, the experimental group performed better than the control group in terms of participation and diversity in knowledge construction behavioral patterns. Finally, based upon the findings, some implications are proposed for further research.     

Promoting and scaffolding argumentation through reflective asynchronous discussions

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to explore the impact of asynchronous discussion on the quality and complexity of college students’ arguments. Three different cohorts of students registered in a physical science course in 2009 Fall, 2010 Spring, and 2010 Fall semesters were briefly supported with scaffolding in class and then involved in argumentation about socio-scientific issues as take-home assignments. Each cohort was divided into an asynchronous online communication group and a paper–pencil group. The findings showed that very few students’ arguments from either group were rated low in quality levels of 1 or 2 on a five-scale level. Additional comparisons revealed that the asynchronous online communication group students slightly outperformed their counterparts in terms of mean quality level of arguments (effect sizes ranged from 0.25 to 0.35) and the frequency of rebuttals. The major finding is that after only one hour of scaffolding followed by the opportunity to practice argumentation at home, students’ argumentation skills were slightly better developed through reflective asynchronous online discussions about socio-scientific issues than through paper-pencil practice.     

How students emerge as learning leaders in small group online discussions

In this study, we examined the role of leadership styles and multi-dimensional learner engagement in how students emerge as learning leaders in asynchronous online discussions. Grounded in the conceptual framework of two dominant leadership styles of transformational and transactional leadership, this study applies the two leadership styles—transformational leadership and transactional leadership—to the Leader Identification Method (LIM) which defines three types of leader roles (i.e., full, transactional and attractive facilitator) in online learning. We collected data from 20 students enrolled in a graduate-level online course that required participation in 12-week discussion activities. Results of the longitudinal data analyses show that person-focused, transformational leadership and active participation in online discussions were significant factors that enabled students to emerge as learning leaders. Students are more likely to become leaders by exhibiting transformational leadership behaviour and productively interacting with one another in an online discussion community.     

When to jump in: The role of the instructor in online discussion forums

As asynchronous discussion forums become more prevalent in online and flexible-delivery modes of teaching, understanding the role that instructors play in student learning in these forums becomes an important issue. Whether the instructor chooses to lead discussions or to keep a low profile can affect student participation in surprising ways. In this study, we investigate how instructor participation rates, the timing of instructor postings (during or at the end of a forum) and nature of their postings (questions, answers or a mix of the two) relate to student participation and perception.     

The effects of different instructor facilitation approaches on students’ interactions during asynchronous online discussions

This study compared the impact of three different facilitation approaches on elementary teacher candidates’ interactions in an asynchronous discussion board as well as their satisfaction with an online educational technology course. These participants were enrolled in three different sections of the same online course. In the first section (Group 1), the instructor responded to each student’s initial message regarding the discussion question and then required students to respond to at least two of their classmates’ postings. In the second section (Group 2), the instructor responded to each student’s initial message to the discussion question, but did not require students to respond to other classmates’ postings. Instead, it was the student’s voluntary choice. In the third group (Group 3), the instructor did not respond to each student’s initial message on the discussion question, but required students to respond to at least two classmates’ postings. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively, by using ANOVA, social networking analysis (SNA) and content analysis. The results indicated that in Group 2, voluntary interactions among students rarely occurred, resulting in the instructor primarily providing feedback to the students, with a low number of cues for social presence. In comparing Groups 1 and 3, when students were required to respond to one another, too much instructor intervention did not lead to more interactions among the students. Rather, when the instructor’s intervention was minimal, students tended to more freely express their thoughts and opinions, with a large number of cues for social presence. However, more interactions among students, occurring in a required setting, may not have correlated with student satisfaction with the online course ratings and the instructors’ ratings.     

When groups decide to use asynchronous online discussions: collaborative learning and social presence under a voluntary participation structure

The purpose of this study is to explore how groups decide to use asynchronous online discussion forums in a non-mandatory setting, and, after the group decision is made, how group members use online discussion forums to complete a collaborative learning project requiring complex data gathering and research processes. While a large body of research on computer-mediated communication (CMC) has documented successful intervention strategies to promote and sustain online discussion forums, little of the research has examined the use of online discussion forums in voluntarily contexts, wherein the decision to use online discussion forums is a personal decision and participation is not a graded component. This study approaches the research questions using a naturalistic case study of one graduate-level blended learning course with 55 students. Employing both student interviews and content analysis methods, this study revealed that the factors affecting the group decision to use online discussion forums are (1) successful or unsuccessful experiences during the first trial, (2) perceived affordances of CMC tools, and (3) the interplay between the nature of collaborative tasks and perceived efficiency. The content analysis of online postings in two voluntary groups revealed that when groups decided to use online discussion forums, participation levels were almost equal among individual group members, and discussion threads were sustained until the final completion of the collaborative project.     

Writing power into online discussion

This article considers the way in which control of interaction emerges as a function of personal agency and external factors in a group of students engaged in online asynchronous text-based communication in a distance education program. It is structured around the argument that control is partly related to the power that individuals have to give effect to their wishes, but also acknowledges that this sense of agency is always in relation to the powers of others and more structural constraints. A picture emerges of the choices students make in deciding when to initiate discussion and respond to others, and about decisions concerning whose messages they would read and when. The impact of other students, of online groups, and instructors seems to play an important role in determining how participants participate in online interaction. Consideration of broader issues shows how the context in which students engage in interaction impacts the nature and extent of that interaction. The article concludes that being aware, and taking advantage of the socially grounded nature of online interaction provides the basis from which educators can act to ensure that interaction in online learning communities is enabling for the learning of all students.     

Blended Learning to Increase Student Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study

Undergraduate nursing research courses are often difficult to teach due to the challenging content and lack of student satisfaction. To address this issue, two nursing instructors and a librarian embedded online discussions into an accelerated format, introductory nursing research course. The study was conducted over two semesters with two different instructors. The researchers investigated if using the blended learning strategy of discussion boards enhanced the learning experience and tested their theory with two measures: a weekly qualitative questionnaire and a post-study survey. Results suggested that asynchronous online discussions increased student satisfaction in introductory nursing research course work.     

A Study of Users’ Reactions to a Mixed Online Discussion Model: A Lag Sequential Analysis Approach

There is an increasing growth of Social Network Services (SNSs). A variety of SNSs are applied in online interpersonal platforms. Among them, asynchronous and synchronous discussions are widely examined. However, there is a lack of research into the effects of integrated discussion services that combines asynchronous and synchronous discussions. Thus, the study investigates users’ performances and behavior patterns in a mixed discussion model that integrates asynchronous and synchronous discussions with a lag sequential analysis. The results showed that most groups chose to adopt the mixed discussion model (i.e., using both synchronous and asynchronous discussions), and only one group totally adopted the asynchronous discussion model. The study further analyzed the learners’ learning effectiveness and behavioral patterns, and the results indicated that the groups using the mixed model had a positive performance to a certain extent in terms of learning effectiveness and knowledge construction. In addition, users with the mixed discussion model demonstrated diverse behaviors, which were more complex than that of those with a single-way discussion model. Furthermore, regarding the groups using “balanced synchronous and asynchronous discussions” and the groups “mainly using synchronous discussion supplemented by less asynchronous discussion” in the mixed model (simultaneously using synchronous and asynchronous discussions), those users who mainly used synchronous discussion supplemented by asynchronous discussion had more diverse behaviors of knowledge construction.     

Discussing teaching videocases online: Perspectives of preservice and inservice EFL teachers in Taiwan

This study investigated the application of an online videocase discussion community into fostering preservice and inservice EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers’ professional development in Taiwan. This investigation further revealed the nature and development of discussion discourse and the participating teachers’ perceptions of this online learning experience. Also included were potential concerns or difficulties encountered by these community members. There were 21 preservice teachers, 7 secondary school teachers, and 4 university teachers involved in this study. Multiple data collection methods included teaching videos, online discussion messages, interviews, reflection journals, and an open-ended questionnaire. The findings showed that the preservice and inservice teachers appeared to respectively play different roles in discussing teaching videocases online. Yet, what they noticed in the teaching events shifted from diverse to similar focuses after engaging in online videocase discussion for almost one year. These teachers further perceived professional learning opportunities in this community, albeit several issues might hinder some of them from joining the discussion frequently. Pedagogical implications and research suggestions are offered for teacher educators and researchers to further codify and document teacher professional development in various online videocase discussion contexts.     

Learning in asynchronous discussion groups: a multilevel approach to study the influence of student, group and task characteristics

The research reported in the current article studies the impact of learning in asynchronous discussion groups on students' final exam scores and levels of knowledge construction. Multilevel analyses were applied to uncover the specific influence of student, group and task variables. The results indicate that the impact of student characteristics on both dependent variables is of higher significance than characteristics of the discussion group students are allocated to. With regard to levels of knowledge construction, task characteristics also appear to be of importance.

 With regard to final exam scores the analyses reveal a significant impact from student learning style, attitude towards task-based learning, the number of student contributions and the level of knowledge construction in these contributions. No significant group characteristics were observed.

 As to levels of knowledge construction, the analyses revealed that the amount of contributions and the attitude towards the online learning environment are significant predictors. The intensity of the interaction in a group had a significant impact. As to task characteristics, significant differences were found between consecutive themes. These disappeared when taking into account task complexity.     

Cross-age peer tutors in asynchronous discussion groups: Exploring the impact of three types of tutor training on patterns in tutor support and on tutor characteristics

This study was conducted in an authentic university setting with fourth-year Educational Sciences’ students operating as online peer tutors to facilitate freshman tutees’ online collaboration and knowledge construction in a blended “Instructional Sciences” course. Taking into account prior research uncovering weaknesses in online peer tutor behaviour, the aim of the study was to explore the possibility to optimise the quality and the nature of online peer support. In this respect, the study examined the impact of three tutor training conditions (multidimensional support, model/coach, and control condition) on peer tutors’ actual tutor behaviour in asynchronous discussion groups and on tutors’ self-efficacy beliefs, perceived collective efficacy, and training evaluation. Quantitative content analysis was applied to study online peer tutor behaviour. More specifically, two coding schemes were used focusing respectively on the occurrence of different e-moderating activities and on the evolution from modeling to coaching behaviour. Tutors’ self-efficacy beliefs, perceived collective efficacy, and training evaluation were assessed by means of questionnaires.     

Effects of an online learning community on active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitudes in a face-to-face undergraduate course

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an Online Learning Community (OLC) on active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitude in a face-to-face undergraduate digital design course. 814 freshmen in an introductory digital design course were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: one offered students an OLC, which required students to discuss their assignments and readings online and participate in certain online learning activities; the other one did not offer the OLC (NC: no online learning community), but required involving students in face-to-face discussion. Individual students’ learning styles were measured using Felder and Solomon’s Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire. Results indicated that both active and reflective learners in the OLC intervention performed significantly better than those who were in the NC intervention. Results also indicated that active learners performed significantly better than reflective learners in the NC intervention; however, reflective learners performed significantly better than active learners in the OLC intervention. No significant difference between active and reflective learners’ attitudes was found. These findings indicated that OLC might be an effective means for improving both active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitudes; however, its effects on active learners might not be as great as on reflective learners.     

It is about timing: Network prestige in asynchronous online discussions

Asynchronous online discussions are broadly used to support social learning. This paper reports on an undergraduate class's online discussion activities over one semester. Applying social network analysis, this study revealed a participation gap among students reflected by their varied levels of network prestige. The low‐prestige group initiated equivalent volumes of interactions but were less reciprocated. In‐depth analysis found the high‐prestige group also advantageous in other network measures such as closeness centrality and eigenvector centrality, as well as the strength, persistence, and reciprocity of their ties. To probe potential explanations of the revealed gap, we further contrasted post content and posting behaviours between two groups. Results did not identify any significant differences in post content but found low‐prestige students' participation less timely and more temporally compressed. This paper calls for attention to the participation gap in online discussions, microlevel temporal patterns of student activities, and practical means to scaffold student participation in asynchronous online discussions.     

Can more interactivity improve learning achievement in an online course? Effects of college students' perception and actual use of a course-management system on their learning achievement

This study aims to investigate how interactivity influence learners' use of interactive functions in the course-management system (CMS) and their online learning performance. A two-tier mediation framework is proposed to examine the mediating effects of different actual-use records concerning the CMS's interactive functions. Data are collected from 381 undergraduate students who enrolled in a general-education asynchronous online course from three universities in Taiwan. The results indicate that the relationships among students' self-reported use of interactive functions, students' perceptions of the usefulness of interactive functions, and students' actual-use logs have some direct influences on students' online learning performance (online-discussion scores, exam scores, and group-project scores). In addition, students' actual-use logs (the number of times of log-ins to the online course, the number of times students read learning materials, and the number of postings on the discussion board) have a mediated effect on students' self-reported frequency of logging into the CMS, students' self-reported frequency of using the learner–instructor/learner–learner interactive functions, and online learning performance. The findings and implications could constitute a useful guide for educational practitioners and designers concerned with the effective integration of interactivity into future online courses.     

The effect of task characteristics on conceptual conflict and information processing in online discussion

A key guidance factor of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is the specification of a discussion task. Aspects of the discussion task may affect the quality of group discussion for higher-order learning. This experiment investigated the effects of two aspects of discussion task on asynchronous text discussion of an online higher-education course. Groups completed discussion assignments that varied in degree of task context and outcome specification. Content analysis was used to assess conceptual conflict and level of information processing indicated in the online discussions. Results indicate that conceptual conflict is associated with higher-order discussion, but differences in task context and product do not have large effects on the quantity or quality of online discussion.     

Attracting student participation in asynchronous online discussions: A case study of peer facilitation

Previous research studies on how to promote student participation in asynchronous online discussions have largely focused on the role of the instructor or tutor as facilitators. Not many investigated student facilitation. This article reports a qualitative study examining the facilitation techniques used by student facilitators to attract their course mates to participate in asynchronous online discussions. Data were collected from the students’ reflection logs and students’ online postings. To explore the extent to which student participation in an online discussion forum is successful, we looked at the depth of discussion threads. We deemed a student facilitator to have successfully attracted other students to participant if the discussion threads had a depth of six or more levels of students’ postings. We then examined in detail and reported the facilitation techniques that were exhibited by the student facilitators. Results showed that seven facilitation techniques were employed; the most frequently used were Socratic questioning and sharing personal opinions or experiences. We end by exploring potential implications for practice and for future research.