Assigned Roles as a Structuring Tool in Online Discussion Groups: Comparison of Transactional Distance and Knowledge Sharing Behaviors

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of structured discussion by giving participants in online discussion groups different roles in transactional distance perception and knowledge sharing behaviors. In the study, a quasi-experimental design was utilized with pretest and posttest control groups. The study was conducted with 111 first-year undergraduate students at a university for 10 weeks. Quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques were used in the study, and the data were obtained from the Transactional Distance Scale, Knowledge Sharing Behavior Scale, and Student Opinion Determination Form. The findings indicate that online discussions carried out by assigning roles to discussion group members (starter, moderator, arguer, source searcher, and summarizer) decreased students’ transactional distance perceptions and improved knowledge sharing behaviors in online discussions. Different suggestions are offered about how to structure online discussions in accordance with the findings of the qualitative data analysis.

Acting in secret: Interaction, knowledge construction and sequential discussion patterns of partial role-assignment in a MOOC

“…Similarly, full-and partial-assignment groups performed higher knowledge construction levels than no-assignment groups. Assigning roles again was supported as an effective strategy, and our results are consistent with previous studies (Cheng et al, 2014;De Wever et al, 2008Friend Wise et al, 2012;Gu et al, 2015;Yilmaz & Yilmaz, 2019). Moreover, interaction and knowledge-construction sequences appeared differently among the three groups.…”

“…Role assignment facilitates mutual dependency among students in online learning (Strijbos et al, 2004). Researchers have developed several role combinations and proven learning benefits, such as enhancing knowledge construction (De Wever et al, 2009;Hou, 2012;Schellens et al, 2007), promoting intensive participation (Schellens et al, 2007), helping to moderate domination of discussion by an individual (Jiang, 2017) and improving argumentation skills (Hou, 2012) when roles are introduced right at the beginning of the discussions (De Wever et al, 2009;Yilmaz & Yilmaz, 2019). Considering Strijbos et al's advice that role designs should match the needs of classroom contexts, we reviewed role-assignment designs (see Table 4) and decided to use De Wever et al's (2008) roles in the MOOC we were offering.…”

“…Otherwise, they may destroy thr discussion flow since students would simply rely on instructor feedback (Palloff & Pratt, 1999). Yilmaz and Yilmaz (2019) further suggested that online instructors should not micro-manage discussion flow, such as replying too often to the discussion or staying completely involved, but instead monitor closely and make their presence felt whenever needed.…”

Enhancing Summary Writing of ESL Learners via a Theory-Based Online Tool: System Development and Evaluation

“…The affordance of SW-PAL was obvious in terms of the students' perception about SW-PAL. The students' view that SW-PAL was a motivating and challenging online summarizing tool for self-study is indicative of the known benefits of asynchronous interactive environment for improving student–content interaction in terms of providing students time to think and allowing them to progress at their own pace and to use it outside the class (Yilmaz & Karaoglan Yilmaz, 2018; Yilmaz & Keser, 2017).…”

“…To ensure the reliability of the study, peer debriefing and member checks were employed. In other words, the data were coded for a second time by a different person (Yilmaz & Karaoglan Yilmaz, 2018; Yilmaz & Keser, 2017) who is an English language lecturer. The codes collected from the researcher and the lecturer were examined for intercoder reliability.…”