The Nature of Online Discussions: Structure, Content, and Discourse in Whole Class Versus Small Groups

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Online Pedagogies for K–12 Education (Table 6)

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the outcomes from an intervention where graduate students in an asynchronous online course were placed in a whole group discussion for four weeks, and into small discussion groups during the following four weeks. Previous research indicated this intervention led to increased social presence perceptions among students. In the current study, we found that the intervention led to positive changes in the social network structure, as well as increased vocabulary indicating social belongingness, as measured using computational linguistic analyses. We discuss the findings and implications in light of asynchronous online learning and benefits from such simple interventions.

Authors

• Mete Akcaoglu, Georgia Southern University
  Presenting Author

• Bret Staudt Willet, Florida State University
  Presenting Author