Date post: | 21-Oct-2014 |
Category: |
Education |
View: | 155 times |
Download: | 2 times |
DELVING INTO ONLINE DISCUSSIONS TO DETERMINE
WHAT WORKS BEST (OR BETTER)
Dr. Brenda Bagwell, Faculty Development Trainer and ResearcherDr. Lori Poole, Program Coordinator and Research Initiative Coordinator
CSU-Global Campus: Brief History•Nation’s first, independent, 100%
online public university
•Created to serve adult learners in completing their degrees
•85% of faculty members have terminal degrees; all faculty members at the graduate level have a terminal degree
Multi-Layered Courses• Readings (textbook, articles, online)
• Interactive Lecture Pages
•DISCUSSIONS
•Mastery Exercises
• Critical Thinking Assignments
• Portfolio Paper
Research Project Questions
PHASE I:What is going on in our class discussions?
How does instructor and student interaction affect the class discussions?
PHASE II:Are we really working through the Bloom’s levels in our discussions as the courses are designed to?
Online Class Discussions• CSU-Global Class Discussions:
One discussion question per week about a topic related to the week’s learning outcomes in each 8-week long courses.
• Outcomes: Outcomes refer to the learning goals at each level—at the program level, at the course level, and at the module level (referred to as Learning Outcomes).
Research Project: Phase I• Determine if the type of overall discussion
prompt impacts discussion postings and interactions
• Categorize the types of discussion posts students are making
• Evaluate how instructor replies impact discussion participation and course evaluations
Research Project: Phase IDetermine if the type of overall discussion prompt impacts discussion postings and interactions
• Bullet point the discussion prompt
• Class expectations
• Instructor seeding
• Extra discussion prompts for class
• Summary discussion posting by instructor
Jarosewich, T., Vargo, L., Salzman, J., Lenhart, L., Krosnick, L., Vance, K., & Roskos, K. (2010). Say What? The Quality of Discussion Board Postings in Online Professional Development . New Horizons in Education, 58(3), 118-132.
Research Project: Phase ICategorize the types of discussion posts students are making
• Categories: appreciation, questioning, prompting, expressing agreement/disagreement, elaboration, opinions
• Students building community
• Most reach module-level outcomes
Lim, S., Cheung, W., & Hew, K. (2011). Critical Thinking in Asynchronous Online Discussion: An Investigation of Student Facilitation Techniques. New Horizons In Education, 59(1), 52-65.
Research Project: Phase IEvaluate how instructor replies impact discussion participation and course evaluations
• Categories: appreciation, questioning, prompting, restatement/re-link with challenge prompting, expressing agreement/disagreement, elaboration, explanations
• Teaching methods/tips for discussions
• Class discussion set-up tips and techniques
• Outcomes: program level, course level, module level
Lim, S., Cheung, W., & Hew, K. (2011). Critical Thinking in Asynchronous Online Discussion: An Investigation of Student Facilitation Techniques. New Horizons In Education, 59(1), 52-65.
Online Class Discussions• Bloom’s is a classification of
levels of intellectual behavior important in learning.
• All CSU-Global courses employ Bloom’s verbs in all kinds of learning outcomes, with the intent for students to work through the levels.
Bloom’s TaxonomyRemembering: can the student recall/remember information?
Understanding: can the student explain ideas or concepts?
Applying: can the student use the information in a new way?
Analyzing: can the student distinguish between different parts?
Evaluating: can the student justify a stand or decision?
Creating: can the student create new product or point of view?
Research Project: Phase II•What Bloom’s level are students reaching in
initial posting?
• Is there any relation to the cognitive level reached and the overall discussion prompt?
• Does the cognitive level deepen throughout the term?
Arend, B. (2009). Encouraging Critical Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions. Journal of Educators Online, 6(1).
Research Project: Phase II• What Bloom’s level are students reaching in initial posting? • Is there any relation to the cognitive level reached and the
overall discussion prompt?
Initial Posting Overall Discussion Prompt
M1 (34 participants; 176 postings)
Remembering, Understanding (some moving toward Applying)
Understanding, Applying
M4(34 participants; 177 postings)
Applying, Analyzing Applying, Analyzing
M8(31 participants; 150 postings)
Applying, Analyzing(some moving toward Evaluate)
Analyzing, Evaluating
Research Project: Phase II• Does the cognitive level deepen throughout
the term?
• Peaked in middle, but dropped in the end (for both students and instructors)
• BUT…often the level noted in the course outline/development was not the level actually reached
Research Project: Phase IIDoes student interaction lead to a higher level? When fellow students reply and/or ask questions is a deeper level attained? Do instructor prompts and questions lead to a higher level? When students are asked questions by the instructor is a deeper level attained? Does the cognitive level deepen throughout the term?
• Average levels are remembering and analysis
• Replies varied from student to student
• Peaked in middle, but dropped in the end (for both students and instructors)
• BUT…often the level noted in the course outline/development was not the level actually reached
Arend, B. (2009). Encouraging Critical Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions. Journal of Educators Online, 6(1).
Q&ASharing Time!
ReferencesArend, B. (2009). Encouraging Critical Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions. Journal
of Educators Online, 6(1).
DeLoach, S. B., & Greenlaw, S. A. (2007). Effectively Moderating Electronic Discussions. Journal of Economic Education, 38(4), 419-434.
Jarosewich, T., Vargo, L., Salzman, J., Lenhart, L., Krosnick, L., Vance, K., & Roskos, K. (2010). Say What? The Quality of Discussion Board Postings in Online Professional Development. New Horizons in Education, 58(3), 118-132.
Lim, S., Cheung, W., & Hew, K. (2011). Critical Thinking in Asynchronous Online Discussion: An Investigation of Student Facilitation Techniques. New Horizons In Education, 59(1), 52-65.
Matheson, R. R., Wilkinson, S. C., & Gilhooly, E. E. (2012). Promoting critical thinking and collaborative working through assessment: combining patchwork text and online discussion boards. Innovations in Education & Teaching International, 49(3), 257-267. doi:10.1080/14703297.2012.703023