Why Online Discussion in Learning Is Important Essay

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The article by Wise et al. (2013) provides an overview of a study aimed at uncovering the importance of online discussion in learning. The specific research problem was the absence of research exploring the interactions of learners with each other on online forums. The authors raised two research questions, the first of which was to understand the patterns of listening behavior of learners in online discussions. The second question was to ascertain the specific expressions of these behaviors. The ultimate goal was to identify the most appropriate practice recommendations for students with different listening behavior patterns.

The methods of the study encompassed the participation of volunteers in a business course. In total, there were 96 participants, all of whom were business students. The learning environment was a mix of online and face-to-face formats. Each Friday, the class met for a lecture and a tutorial session. Meanwhile, all participants were required to contribute to online discussions transpiring throughout the week. All students’ online activities were monitored, thus providing the data for the analysis, which took the form of case studies and cluster analyses.

The analysis of the data has revealed three main clusters, which differed from each other in the length of sessions and contributions to online discussions. The main finding was that the majority of the time spent online was comprised of listening activities. However, listening behavior was also different as three approaches were identified. The first one was listening without contribution to discussions, the second one was listening with moderate participation, and the third one was active participation with additional listening sessions.

The first authors’ implication was that it is necessary to identify the listening patterns of students as early as possible. The authors recommend supporting superficial listeners by integrating the content of online discussions into face-to-face meetings. Next, extended sessions with concentrated listening should be preferred over short ones. Finally, it is important to ascertain students’ goals and plan their involvement in online discussions accordingly. The more they are willing to achieve mastery, the greater their participation in discussions should be.

Reference

Wise, A. F., Speer, J., Marbouti, F., & Hsiao, Y. T. (2013). Instructional Science, 41(2), 323-343. Web.

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