Vanessa P. Dennen

From Message Posting to Learning Dialogues: Factors affecting learner participation in asynchronous discussion

Generating true learning dialogue as opposed to a collection of loosely affiliated posted messages on a class discussion board can be challenging. This paper presents the results of a cross‐case analysis of nine naturalistic case studies of online classes, looking at how activity design and facilitation factors affected various dimensions of student participation. Findings show that use of guidelines, deadlines and feedback and type of instructor presence affect the resulting discourse in an online class. Additionally, the paper explores how particular types of learning activities are better suited to generating discussion than others and how the integration of discussion activities with the rest of the course activities and requirements impacts learner motivation and participation.Generating true learning dialogue as opposed to a collection of loosely affiliated posted messages on a class discussion board can be challenging. This paper presents the results of a cross‐case analysis of nine naturalistic case studies of online classes, looking at how activity design and facilitation factors affected various dimensions of student participation. Findings show that use of guidelines, deadlines and feedback and type of instructor presence affect the resulting discourse in an online class. Additionally, the paper explores how particular types of learning activities are better suited to generating discussion than others and how the integration of discussion activities with the rest of the course activities and requirements impacts learner motivation and participation.

Instructor–Learner Interaction in Online Courses: The relative perceived importance of particular instructor actions on performance and satisfaction

This article examines the relative perceived importance of 19 instructor actions in online courses according to both instructors and students. The instructor actions were culled from guidelines in the online learning literature base and then reviewed and rated by 14 experts. Thirty‐two online instructors and 170 students from their classes at a large public university and a private online university were asked to review and rate these guidelines. Findings show that the instructors believe that learner performance is more likely tied to instructor actions that are focused on course content and provide both proactive (models, expectations) and reactive (feedback) information to learners about their ability to demonstrate knowledge of course material, but learner satisfaction is more likely tied to learners’ feeling that their interpersonal communication needs are met. Learners rated items focused on communication needs and being treated as individuals as most important, aligning their stated preferences with the instructors’ perceptions of what actions are most satisfying to online learners.

Pedagogical lurking: Student engagement in non-posting discussion behavior

This paper presents the results of a study of student non-posting participation behavior in two online classes. Most often active message is assessed and thus implicitly valued in online class discussion, but the act of writing messages is not the only factor that contributes to student learning. However, it is the most visible and easiest to measure. Students may engage in processes of reading and reflection on the discussion board, not leaving their mark; it is these acts that may be referred to as pedagogical lurking. In this study, students were asked to self-report their non-visible course activities, the reasons behind these activities and their perceived usefulness related to learning. Findings show that about half of the students felt that they learned through the online discussion experience, and that they believe both posting and reading messages contributed to their ability to learn. These students were likely to enter the discussion before posting to obtain a model for participation, and to return at a later time to check for replies and reflect. Students who participated solely to meet course requirements and who focused on posting messages more than reading messages had less positive impressions of the discussion activitys impact on learning.

Looking for evidence of learning: Assessment and analysis methods for online discourse

Discussion is a required component of many Web-based classes, but do we really know its value or contribution to learning? Students may be graded for participation, and number and length of posts may be counted by those evaluating or researching online classes, but all too often the assessment and analysis methods that we use fail to provide us with data that indicate learning took place through participation in online discussion. This paper explores what can be learned by currently popular assessment practices and analytic methods, as well as the limitations of these methods when used to measure learning, using two samples of discussion threads from online classes.

From Interaction to Intersubjectivity: Facilitating Online Group Discourse Processes

This article examines the online discourse that took place in representative threads from two classes, seeking to document indicators that students did or did not engage in co‐construction of knowledge. Stahls (2006) social theory of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is used along with discourse analysis methods to examine these course dialogues. Findings show the class that had a peer‐like, consistent facilitative instructor and discussion anchored around questions and shared artifacts was more likely to engage in discussion leading to the negotiation of knowledge and understanding. This class relied on social acknowledgements, questions, and shared exploration of perspectives and theories throughout their discussion. These elements and strategies appear to be important components that make up for lower levels of tacit understanding in online environments, thus enabling learners to interact in social learning processes. The other class, which lacked a facilitative instructor, did not have the same results. Although interaction levels were equal and students carried topical motifs such as the phrase “faster, better, cheaper” from message to message, students in this other class did not engage deeply or develop new understanding of the course material through the discussion.

Teaching on the Web: With a Little Help from My Pedagogical Friends

THE PROLIFERATION OF WEB COURSEWARE TOOLS has yet to match the pedagogical needs of higher education. Just how much do Web tools foster the development of student thinking skills, collaboration, and active learning? Before pointing to various ways to embed such pedagogical techniques in on-line instruction, some of the costs and benefits related to the use of these tools are documented. Many of the benefits are made apparent within a ten level Web integration continuum as well as from the clarification of potential on-line interactions between instructors, students, and practitioners. To further illustrate these benefits, ideas related to teaching on the Web from a learner-centered point of view are described. Next, ways to embed critical and creative thinking as well as cooperative learning or teamwork in standard and customized Web course development tools are detailed. Sample Web courses and tools developed at Indiana University are presented along with a review of several types of Web courseware and conferencing systems. Finally, key pedagogical implications and recommendations for the near future are outlined.

Modeling, Assessing, and Supporting Key Competencies Within Game Environments

The first challenge of accomplishing the goals of any successful instructional system depends on accurately identifying characteristics of a particular learner or group of learners – such as the type and level of specific knowledge, skills, and other attributes. The second challenge is then leveraging the information to improve learning. This chapter is intended to extend current thinking about (a) educationally valuable skills and (b) instructional system design by describing an approach for analyzing key competencies and developing valid assessments embedded within an immersive game. Specifically, we will describe theoretically based research relating to stealth assessment, diagnosis, and instructional decisions, operational within an immersive game environment. Stealth assessment and diagnosis occur during the learning (playing) process, and instructional decisions are based on inferences of learners’ current and projected competency states. Inferences – both diagnostic and predictive – will be handled by Bayesian networks and used directly in student models to handle uncertainty via probabilistic inference to update and improve belief values on learner competencies. Resulting probabilities inform decision making, as needed in, for instance, the selection of instructional support based on the learner’s current state.

Intentionally mobile pedagogy: the M-COPE framework for mobile learning in higher education

Increasingly, the education world finds itself working in an environment that is full of mobile devices and tools. Students are likely to own smartphones and tablets and instructors are faced with the challenge of integrating mobile devices into their course activities, whether as a full delivery medium, an enhancement or an optional tool. The M-COPE framework prompts instructors to consider five critical areas related to mobile learning: Mobile affordances, Conditions, Outcomes, Pedagogy and Ethics. This framework can be integrated with any instructional design process to help instructors engage in the informed design of mobile learning activities. This paper presents the framework and how it can be used with the ADDIE model of instructional design, and provides two case examples of how M-COPE influenced the success of two mobile learning activities.

Finding community in the comments: the role of reader and blogger responses in a weblog community of practice

This paper presents a study of the role that comments play in supporting blog-based communities of practice. Through a content analysis of both blog posts and their corresponding comments within a sample of blogs from an established online community of practice, certain characteristics emerge. The bloggers themselves post on topics that are tied to a shared practice among community members, engage in storytelling and reflection and invite comments. Blogs have been established as a safe place for the communal sharing of experiences and ideas. Comments from readers most often serve sharing functions and subsequent comments from the original poster most often are directly responsive to reader comments.

Becoming a blogger

Naturalistic case study of peripheral and inbound members in a blog community.Bloggers begin for different reasons, but persist due to the sense of community.Inbound members need not be active bloggers, may be commenters or characters.Ability to observe and follow norms plays a big role in newcomer acceptance.The blogging community serves as a virtual third place. This naturalistic study of a blogging community examines the norms and activities that govern the establishment of a community of practice. Activity theory and communities of practice are used as frameworks to guide the analysis of this study. Six brief cases are used to illustrate the paths of blogging newcomers, as they shift from peripheral to inbound paths, and in some cases to insider positions within the community. Findings show that the community values newcomer practices such as engaging in legitimate peripheral participation via observation of norms. Further, although the community is welcoming of newcomers, the burden is on the newcomer to learn about and interact appropriately within the community.