ERIC Number: EJ866181
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Feb
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0360-1315
EISSN: N/A
A Quantitative Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Teaching and Learning in a Web-Conferencing Environment--The Efficacy of Student-Centred Learning Designs
Bower, Matt; Hedberg, John G.
Computers & Education, v54 n2 p462-478 Feb 2010
This paper presents a quantitative approach to multimodal discourse analysis for analyzing online collaborative learning. The coding framework draws together the fields of systemic functional linguistics and Activity Theory to analyze interactions between collaborative-, content- and technology-related discourse. The approach is used to examine how the task subject matter, the activity design, and the choice of interface affected interaction and collaboration for a computing course conducted in a web-conferencing environment. The analysis revealed the critical impact of activity design on the amount and type of discourse that transpired. Student-centred designs resulted in over six times more student discourse as compared to teacher-centred designs and created a learning environment where students took greater ownership over the tasks and contributed more to the content-based discussion. The paper also incorporates a rationale for the approach to coding and a reflection on its efficacy for discourse analysis in technology-based learning environments. (Contains 4 figures and 10 tables.)
Descriptors: Discourse Analysis, Coding, Interaction, Evaluation Methods, Teaching Methods, Cooperative Learning, Educational Technology, Computer Assisted Instruction, Electronic Learning, Computer Mediated Communication, Internet, Distance Education, Online Courses, Web Based Instruction, Computer Science Education, Synchronous Communication, Computer System Design, Teleconferencing
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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