ERIC Number: EJ1206667
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Feb
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1545-679X
EISSN: N/A
Informational Evaluation & Social Comparison: A Winning Pair for Course Discussion Design
Javadi, Elahe; Gebauer, Judith; Novotny, Nancy L.
Information Systems Education Journal, v17 n1 p18-27 Feb 2019
Upward and downward social comparison mechanisms may positively affect student performance in course-related work. However, research is not conclusive about whether the negative effects that can also be caused by comparison outweigh the benefits. In this research project, we combined social comparison with detailed informational feedback on a specific performance goal in online discussions. The performance goal was tied to the extent to which student posts and comments exhibited integration of different dimensions of the discussion topic. The social comparison mechanism was based on de-identified discussion transcripts that included the score of each post or comment. Supplemental informational feedback was provided by the instructor in the form of goal-specific annotations on the transcript that clearly explained why each post/comment had received a given score. In this paper, we report on a field experiment that spanned over four semesters, completed in twelve course sections, each involving two online discussions. The treatment courses implemented the 'winning pair' mechanism, which is a combination of informational evaluation and social comparison in online discussion. Comparisons on quality and quantity of student interactions at individual, dyad, and course levels are discussed in detail. We propose that winning-pair could be an effective mechanism advancing quality in creativity-intensive non-mechanical course-related assignments.
Descriptors: Feedback (Response), Computer Mediated Communication, Goal Orientation, Concept Formation, Innovation, Creative Thinking, Motivation, Experimental Groups, Control Groups, Undergraduate Students, Interpersonal Communication
Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals. Box 488, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480. e-mail: publisher@isedj.org; Web site: http://isedj.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A