Knowledge construction patterns in online conversation: A statistical discourse analysis of a role-based discussion forum

Alyssa Friend WISE, Ming Ming CHIU

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapters

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Assigning roles to individual students can influence the group's knowledge construction (KC) process during online discussions. Twenty-one students were divided into two groups and assigned rotating roles for eight one-week asynchronous online discussions. The KC contributions of all 252 posts in the discussion were coded using a five phase scheme; then statistical discourse analysis was applied to identify segments of discussion characterized by particular aspects of KC and "pivotal posts"-those posts which initiated new segments of discussion. Finally, the influences of assigned student roles on pivotal posts and KC were modeled. The results indicate that most online discussions had a single pivotal post separating the discussion into two distinct segments: the first dominated by a lower KC phase; the second dominated by a higher KC phase. The pivotal posts that initiated later segments were often contributed mid-discussion by students playing one of two summarizing roles (Synthesizer and Wrapper). Copyright © 2011, International Society of the Learning Sciences [ISLS].
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationConnecting Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning to Policy and Practice: Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2011)
EditorsHans Spada, Gerry Stahl, Naomi Miyake, Nancy Law
Place of PublicationHong Kong
PublisherInternational Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS)
Pages64-71
VolumeI
ISBN (Print)9780578091525
Publication statusPublished - 2011

Citation

Wise, A., & Chiu, M. M. (2011). Knowledge construction patterns in online conversation: A statistical discourse analysis of a role-based discussion forum. In H. Spada, G. Stahl, N. Miyake, & N. Law (Eds.), Connecting Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning to Policy and Practice: Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2011) (Vol. I, pp. 64-71). Hong Kong: International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS).

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