Increasing Social Presence in Online Learning through Small Group Discussions

Akcaoğlu, Mete; Lee, Eunbae

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v17i3.2293

Cited by 158 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Even though the undergraduate students were exposed to only five weeks of online discussions there was a significant improvement in their test scores. Underpinned by this finding, the study asserts that using online discussions in the literature classroom can lead to better understanding of the literary text and performance in the tests, which has been mentioned as possible outcome in a number of other studies within a similar context [1], [30], [39], [42] and in other contexts [33], [38]. However, in comparison to other previous studies mentioned, the present study is one of the first studies that have examined the effects of online discussions specifically using Facebook Messenger in learning a novel.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

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Online Discussion via Facebook Messenger: Impact on students’ test performance of William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”

Farhan*¹,

Yusoff²

2019

IJITEE

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The teaching of literature component in the English language classroom heavily relies on the traditional methods like "tell them and test them"[1]. Recent development and advancement of technology have called for a transformation in the literature classroom through the incorporation of internet technologies and applications with emphasis on self-directed learning by means of online discussion and negotiation. Thus, this study aims to explore the potential of technology integration in the literature classroom through the utilization of an online discussion platform. The objective is to examine its impact on students' test performance of William Golding's “Lord of the Flies”. This quasi-experimental study was conducted at a university in Iraq and forty-five undergraduate students enrolled in an English language course participated. The students were assigned to groups of four members and collaborated on Facebook Messenger as the online discussion platform for five weeks on various aspects of the novel. Scores from students English literature pre- and post-tests were analyzed descriptively and also using a paired sample t-test. Results revealed that there was a statistically significant increase in the students’ pre and post-test scores. This indicates that the use of online discussions to understand and learn various elements of the literary text was significantly impactful and the approach is recommended for the literature classroom to help improve the students' responses to the text and test performance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…The students were divided into 10 groups of four and one group of five students each. Having 4 to 5 students in each group is supportive of online discussion dynamics and would positively impact students' communicative experience [38]. Upon their request, the students discussed online, for more than ten hours, outside classroom time.…”

Section: Online Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Online Discussion via Facebook Messenger: Impact on students’ test performance of William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”

Farhan*¹,

Yusoff²

2019

IJITEE

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“…Selfdirected learning is a key factor determining student success, and appropriate learning design is critical to engage and motivate students. In the globally expanding context of webbased learning delivery (Casey, 2008) added to the current context of a pandemic, it has become increasingly important for tertiary educators to offer online delivery methods and learning experiences that address the social and cognitively active online context of learning (Akcaoglu and Lee, 2016) and acknowledge the students' different learning preferences. This study, undertaken before the pandemic, evaluated the redevelopment of an online postgraduate subject offered by Deakin University, Nutritional Biochemistry and Physiology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Active Learning to Improve Student Learning Experiences in an Online Postgraduate Course

et al. 2020

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Postgraduate programs attract older students, who often work part-time or full-time and have childcare responsibilities. In the Information Age, online learning environments can help these students to meet their learning objectives more efficiently and provide a unique opportunity to address individual learning preferences. The aim of this study was to assess the learning experiences of postgraduate students in an online learning environment delivering content in a guided, self-directed way focusing on active learning opportunities. Two-hundred and eighty-seven students participated in the study. A pragmatic descriptive design with purposive sampling was used to examine the impact of a newly developed active online learning environment on student commitment, performance and satisfaction when compared to a passive, pre-recorded lecture. In contrast to our hypothesis that all metrics would improve with subject redevelopment, student performance and commitment did not improve in the active online learning environment; however, student satisfaction increased significantly. These findings might be partly attributed to the increased cognitive load associated to online learning. This study demonstrates how, for postgraduate students choosing online learning, active learning experiences can be used to provide students with a greater sense of satisfaction while acknowledging for the heterogeneity of the cohort and its different learning preferences. However, in the worldwide context of remote learning rapidly and urgently expanding, it also outlines that online learning needs to be carefully scaffolded to ensure deep learning and that the impact of the transition to online learning on performance and commitment should be considered, especially when directed at non-experienced students.

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“…Specifically, the lack of interaction with instructors and classmates means online students are required to be self-motivated to accomplish their learning activities, and this can lead students to feel isolated. As a result, the lack of sufficient social interaction and social presence is considered a key challenge for taking and passing courses online (Akcaoglu & Lee, 2016). Tinto (1975), the developer of the student integration model (SIM) in the environment of traditional learning (face-to-face), argues that academic integration and social integration are the most important aspects for student retention in higher education.…”

Section: Social Competencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Student Readiness to MOOCs in Jordan: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Al-Adwan

Khdour

2020

JITE:Research

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Aim/Purpose: The current study has been carried out to reveal students’ readiness to utilize MOOCs at higher learning institutions in Jordan. Background: Higher education institutions around the globe are shifting rapidly to reach learners worldwide by providing open education. In accordance with this universal effort, Jordan is committed to offering open access education that allows learners to access knowledge through the Internet and has launched one of the first Arabic “Massive Open Online Course” (MOOC) platforms in the Arabic region. Thus, students must be prepared and ready for this innovation in education. Nonetheless, MOOCs have been incessantly discussed and have faced wide criticism as an insufficient amount of research has been conducted on students’ readiness to be involved in MOOCs. The level of tertiary students’ preparation to utilize and attend MOOCs as a source of learning is unclear. Methodology: Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed model of students’ readiness for MOOCs. Convenience sampling was used to distribute a paper-based questionnaire to the students of three Jordanian universities during a period of four months from May to September 2019. Out of 700 distributed questionnaires, a total of 537 responses were returned giving a response rate of 76.7%. Out of the returned questionnaires, 69 responses were reported incomplete as most of the questions (>80%) were left unanswered; these 69 questionnaires were eliminated from any further analysis. As a result, a total of 468 questionnaires were valid for statistical analysis. Contribution: This study aims to contribute to the existing literature by examining the perceptions of higher education students in Jordan toward MOOCs. The current study extends the continuing debate about MOOCs with respect to determining which factors influence students’ readiness to participate in these courses. Specifically, this study investigates both the cognitive and psychological influential factors that determine the readiness of Jordanian students to adopt MOOCs. The proposed theoretical framework for this research is based on the work of Yu and Richardson, who developed the model of Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR). SOLR is comprised of three forms of competency assumed to be important in examining students’ readiness for online learning. Specifically, these competencies are (1) social competency represent skills, capabilities, and a sense of control, which is necessary for managing social situations and developing and sustaining relationships, (2) communication competency, “the ability of an individual to demonstrate knowledge of the appropriate communicative behavior in a given situation”, and (3) technical competencies, “self-efficacy in technology”. Furthermore, the research model includes an additional competency: self-management of learning, “the degree to which a student perceives himself/herself as being self-disciplined and is able to engage in a greatly autonomous learning setting.” Findings: The results obtained from the SEM revealed that students’ readiness to accept MOOCs in their learning is significantly influenced by four types of competency: social, technical, self-management of learning, and communication. Recommendations for Practitioners: Facilitators of MOOCs should take into account that technical competency can be enhanced by recognizing that technical competency related to online learning should be developed, taught, and constantly reinforced at every educational level as a life skill. Additionally, facilitators and developers of MOOCs should be prepared to find methods to support and inspire student participation, and to recognize the importance of learning skills in the MOOC environment. Furthermore, facilitators and developers of MOOCs should increase the social presence of fellow participants in MOOCs, which in turn facilitates the attainment of collaborative learning. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers may use well-established theories related to investigating online learning usage in exploring students’ readiness to use MOOCs. Impact on Society: A study like the current one would be beneficial for higher education institutions in Jordan to determine the key factors that influence students’ readiness and in turn develop active strategies to address students’ needs in order for them to adopt MOOCs. Future Research: Further studies may include additional factors to better measure students’ readiness to use MOOCs. The additional factors can be revealed by utilizing a qualitative method. Thus, additional studies may employ a mixed-method approach (both quantitative and qualitative) to accurately identify additional factors that may influence student readiness to student readiness to MOOCs and to offer a more holistic understanding of readiness.

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Increasing Social Presence in Online Learning through Small Group Discussions

Cited by 158 publications

References 35 publications

Online Discussion via Facebook Messenger: Impact on students’ test performance of William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”

Online Discussion via Facebook Messenger: Impact on students’ test performance of William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”

Active Learning to Improve Student Learning Experiences in an Online Postgraduate Course

Exploring Student Readiness to MOOCs in Jordan: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

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