Hwee Ling Lim

Conversations of virtual learning communities: discourse and survey analyses of moderated online synchronous discussions

In web-based education, virtual learning communities are formed to support interaction and attain explicit educational outcomes, with Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) technologies facilitating most of the interaction. From the sociocultural constructivist view that knowledge building occurs during dialogic interaction, little is known about the impact of online synchronous (chat) interaction on supporting knowledge construction, while online asynchronous interaction has been more widely researched. Moreover, analytical frameworks for educational Computer-Mediated Discourse (CMD), mainly designed for asynchronous discussions, are typically less sensitive to chat exchanges. This paper examines the impact of chat interaction on supporting the knowledge construction processes in two tutorial groups. The discourse analysis results revealed participant involvement in meaning negotiation that builds new knowledge. The survey results showed the availability of scaffolding and the appropriation of shared understandings that are characteristic of knowledge construction processes. These findings can guide the pedagogical design of online synchronous instructional environments that facilitate learning through the conversations of virtual learning communities.

Innovative Methods and Technologies for Electronic Discourse Analysis

With the advent of new media and Web 2.0 technologies, language and discourse have taken on new meaning, and the implications of this evolution on the nature of interpersonal communication must be addressed. Innovative Methods and Technologies for Electronic Discourse Analysis highlights research, applications, frameworks, and theories of online communication to explore recent advances in the manipulation and shaping of meaning in electronic discourse. This essential research collection will appeal to academic, research, and professional audiences engaged in the design, development, and distribution of effective communications technologies in educational, social, and linguistic contexts.

Assessing Level and Effectiveness of Corrosion Education in the UAE

The consequences of corrosion can be minimized by an engineering workforce well trained in corrosion fundamentals and management. Since the United Arab Emirates incurs the second highest cost of corrosion after Saudi Arabia, this paper examined the quality of corrosion education in the UAE. Surveys with academia and industry respondents showed that dedicated corrosion courses and engineering courses that integrated corrosion into the curricula were available in UAE universities, but graduates had insufficient knowledge of corrosion engineering and superficial understanding of corrosion in real-life design contexts. The effectiveness of corrosion education is determined by both competence in corrosion knowledge/skills and availability of resources (faculty and research). Though most departments would not hire new corrosion-specialist faculty, department research efforts and industry partnerships in corrosion research were present. The paper concluded with recommendations for improving knowledge and skills of future engineers in corrosion and enhancing corrosion instruction to better meet industry needs.

Social network analysis: measuring symmetry of information flow in virtual learning groups

The sociocultural constructivist perspective regards interaction as vital to collaborative learning. In e-learning contexts, the quality of electronic educational discourse has been extensively analyzed for indications of information sharing and meaning negotiation with discourse and content analytical methods. Recently, the method of social network analysis (SNA) has been applied to the discourse of computer-mediated communication (CMC) supported learning groups. While research has mainly focused on network analysis of asynchronous CMC interaction, this study examines patterns of information flow in synchronous CMC exchanges of two virtual learning groups in terms of SNA measures of actor-node types and group reciprocity. The quantitative results from comparative group analysis reveal both higher reciprocity at group level and mutuality in information sharing at actor level in one group. These findings on the symmetry of information flow in virtual groups have implications for e-tutor facilitation of collaborative learning processes.