Tammy Schellens

Content analysis schemes to analyze transcripts of online asynchronous discussion groups: A review

Research in the field of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is based on a wide variety of methodologies. In this paper, we focus upon content analysis, which is a technique often used to analyze transcripts of asynchronous, computer mediated discussion groups in formal educational settings. Although this research technique is often used, standards are not yet established. The applied instruments reflect a wide variety of approaches and differ in their level of detail and the type of analysis categories used. Further differences are related to a diversity in their theoretical base, the amount of information about validity and reliability, and the choice for the unit of analysis. This article presents an overview of different content analysis instruments, building on a sample of models commonly used in the CSCL-literature. The discussion of 15 instruments results in a number of critical conclusions. There are questions about the coherence between the theoretical base and the operational translation of the theory in the instruments. Instruments are hardly compared or contrasted with one another. As a consequence the empirical base of the validity of the instruments is limited. The analysis is rather critical when it comes to the issue of reliability. The authors put forward the need to improve the theoretical and empirical base of the existing instruments in order to promote the overall quality of CSCL-research.

Collaborative learning in asynchronous discussion groups: What about the impact on cognitive processing?

Abstract Does working in a Computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment, and more specific, working in “asynchronous electronic discussion groups”, have an impact on cognitive processing? This general research question has been researched in a study involving 230 freshmen taking the course “educational sciences”. During four months, students were working in 23 discussion groups on collaboration tasks based on authentic situations and problems. The transcripts of eight groups were randomly selected and analysed. A variety of content analysis models was adopted to ground theoretical assumptions about the value of collaborative learning environments. The messages were coded building on the models by Veerman and Veldhuis-Diermanse (2001) and Gunawardena, Lowe, and Anderson (1997) . The theoretical basis of the study integrates the models in a conceptual framework, building on the information processing approach to knowledge construction and social-constructivist principles. The results confirm that interaction in the discussion is very task-oriented, stays task-oriented and reflects high phases in knowledge construction. Clear results can be presented about the impact of the amount of discussion activity on the nature and quality of the discussions and the phases of knowledge construction. In the discussion section, methodological issues are presented. The research points at a number of methodological issues and directions for future research.

Fostering knowledge construction in university students through asynchronous discussion groups

Does collaborative learning in asynchronous discussion groups result in enhancing academic discourse and knowledge construction? This general research question has been researched in a study involving 300 students, working during six months in 38 electronic discussion groups. The transcripts of the discussions were coded and analysed to test hypotheses related to the impact on knowledge construction. Coding of the units of analysis was based on the models of Fahy, P. J., Crawford, G., Ally, M., Cookson, P., Keller, V., & Prosser, F. (2000). The development and testing of a tool for analysis of computer mediated conferencing transcripts. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 46(1), 85-88 and Veerman, A., & Veldhuis-Diermanse E. (2001). Collaborative learning through computer-mediated communication in academic education. In P. Dillenbourg, A. Eurelings, & K. Hakkarainen (Eds.), European Perspectives on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning. Proceedings of the First European Conference on CSCL. Maastricht: McLuhan Institute, University of Maastricht. The results confirm that students in the discussion groups are very task-oriented and that higher proportions of high phases of knowledge construction are observed. Significant increases in the cognitive interaction, task-orientation and higher phases of knowledge construction are detected. Group size is a significant interaction variable. Discussion in smaller groups reflects larger proportions of higher levels of knowledge construction. The results point at the critical impact of structure in the task environment. In the discussion section, methodological issues are presented. The article concludes with directions for future research and some implications for instructional practice.

Scripting by assigning roles: Does it improve knowledge construction in asynchronous discussion groups?

This article describes the impact of learning in asynchronous discussion groups on students’ levels of knowledge construction. A design-based approach enabled the comparison of two successive cohorts of students (N = 223 and N = 286) participating in discussion groups for one semester. Multilevel analyses were applied to uncover the influence of student, group, and task variables on the one hand, and the specific impact of a particular form of scripting – namely the assignment of roles to group members – on the other. Results indicate that a large part of the overall variability in students’ level of knowledge construction can be attributed to the discussion assignment. More intensive and active individual participation in the discussion groups and adopting a positive attitude towards the learning environment also positively relates to a higher level of student knowledge construction. Task characteristics – differences between the consecutive discussion themes – appeared to significantly affect levels of knowledge construction, although further analysis revealed that these differences largely disappeared after correcting for task complexity. Finally, comparisons between both cohorts revealed that the introduction of student roles led to significantly higher levels of knowledge construction. An effect size of 0.5 was detected.

Structuring Asynchronous Discussion Groups: The Impact of Role Assignment and Self-Assessment on Students' Levels of Knowledge Construction through Social Negotiation

This article examines the impact of the introduction of roles and the added value of selfassessment on students’ level of knowledge construction in online asynchronous discussions in a first-year university course in instructional sciences. Students’ postings in 20 discussion groups were used as the research data for this study. All messages, submitted during the 12-week discussion period and comprising four discussion themes of 3 weeks each, were analysed. Repeated-measures multilevel modeling was adopted to analyse the data from the content analysis. The results point at a significant positive impact of assigning roles to students. However, this positive impact depends on the moment of the introduction of the roles. Higher levels of social knowledge construction were found in discussion groups where roles were introduced right at the start of the discussions and faded out towards the end. The results further indicate that self-assessment has no significant added value.

Long-term study of safe Internet use of young children

The Internet is an evolving medium that continuously presents new functionalities. Accordingly, also childrens Internet usage changes continuously. This requires being vigilant about related Internet risk behavior and safe Internet use. The present article presents a structured overview of Internet risks and summarizes approaches to foster safe Internet behavior. Based on a long-term cross-sectional study, Internet usage of young children has been researched. The focus is on contact risks and content risks. Based on the analysis of survey data from 10000 children, trends in their (un)safe Internet usage are studied in the years 2005-2006, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009. An Unsafe Internet Usage Index (UIUI) is calculated. The average results point at a rather low level of unsafe Internet usage. But these average results hide between-subject differences and a number of children clearly reflect risky unsafe Internet usage. Also, no consistent reduction in unsafe Internet behavior is being observed over the years. Parental and teacher control hardly increase, and hardly seem to impact the level of unsafe Internet behavior. Considering a number of limitations of the present study, directions for future research are discussed.

Primary school children's safe and unsafe use of the Internet at home and at school: An exploratory study

In this study, 1700 primary school pupils (4th, 5th, and 6th grade) of 78 schools in Flanders and their headmasters were questioned about their use of the Internet and their perception and behaviour as to safe Internet use. The results indicate that, next to the expected high level of Internet use at home, there is clear evidence of unsafe Internet use. Exploration of the data reveals that, of the currently taken specific interventions to promote safe Internet use and (un)safe Internet behaviour, only parent control seems to be significantly related to lower degrees of unsafe behaviour. No school-based interventions seem to be associated with the level of unsafe Internet use. The nature of current school-based interventions is discussed and considered to be less effective to expect an impact at the behavioural level. Next to implications for future research, recommendations to reorient school policies and action lines are presented.

A cross‐cultural study of teacher perspectives on teacher roles and adoption of online collaborative learning in higher education

This study aims to understand teachers’ perspectives on their roles in higher education, their views about the adoption of a social‐constructivist approach to teaching and learning and the integration of online collaborative learning in blended learning environments in higher education from a cross cultural perspective. We interviewed 60 Chinese teachers from Beijing Normal University and Capital Normal University in Beijing, China and 30 Flemish teachers from Ghent University in Flanders, Belgium. The results revealed differences as well as specific similarities in perspectives between the Chinese and Flemish university teachers. The cultural and educational context is taken into consideration when discussing the results.

Re-engineering Conventional University Education: Implications for Students' Learning Styles.

There is no doubt that education is being fundamentally transformed and affected by information and communication technologies (ICT). The demand for online courses in higher education is growing. Education is also affected by the new approaches towards learning and instruction that have emerged during recent decades: student centred learning, distributed learning, and collaborative learning. These new instructional approaches reflect the adoption of constructivist approaches to learning. National and international studies support this approach, but also point to a number of problems, such as the lack of clear policies and implementation strategies. The adoption of new learning approaches has resulted in the re‐engineering of courses, curricula and in certain cases complete universities. Examples of the latter can be found at the Jones International University (www.jiu.edu) that started in May 1999 as a completely new and virtual university, and the Dutch Open University that transformed its educational model towards a competency‐based educational model implemented in a digital university setting (www.ou.nl). The transition from a traditional approach is not an easy process. The implementation of the new ideas can be hampered by a large number of variables and processes at micro‐ and mesolevels. The study, described in this article analyses such difficulties when implementing a specific re‐engineering of a course. The difficulties are described and analysed in terms of the learning styles of students. The major focus of the study is on incongruencies between the innovative course re‐design and learning styles issues. The authors expect that the results of the study will fuel the discussion about the necessity to consider innovation at the meso‐level (curriculum level) instead of solely at course level.

Student acceptance of tablet devices in secondary education: A three-wave longitudinal cross-lagged case study

Abstract As ICT is increasingly permeating all aspects of everyday life, it is apparent that education cannot leap behind. In this article we longitudinally investigate a much-debated obligatory full-scale implementation of tablet devices in a large secondary school. We adopt a Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) approach to verify the dynamic nature of students’ acceptance of the tablet as a learning tool at three waves of data collection, both at pre- and short and long-term post-adoption stages. The results clearly indicate the evolutionary nature of the acceptance process, challenging the adequacy of cross-sectional approaches to technology adoption. In the pre-adoption stage, attitude appears as a key uptake factor, whereas three months later, due to practical and technical constraints, the attention shifts to subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. Finally, six months after introduction indicative traces of habituation appear, raising concerns on the suitability of the TPB in established post-adoption circumstances.