Understanding the quality of students’ interactions through computer conferencing in higher education from the social constructivist perspective

Hendriks, V. and Maor, D. (2001) Understanding the quality of students’ interactions through computer conferencing in higher education from the social constructivist perspective. In: World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA) 2001, 25 - 30 June 2001, Tampere, Finland pp. 730-735.

Abstract

This paper discusses the processes of interactions among learners in higher education through computer conferencing, and provides information regarding the quality of their learning experience. In order to investigate this phenomena, the social constructivist perspective with the metaphor of "persons-in-conversation" was undertaken as a conceptual framework. The attributes of computer conferencing and its relationship to social constructivism, point to interactions as essential processes through which negotiation of meaning and co-construction of knowledge occur. To address the scarcity of research using qualitative interpretive methods in computer conferencing, constructivism as a referent for the research method was used. The principles of grounded theory was employed in the analysis of computer transcripts resulting in the emergence of seven themes. In order to verify the hypothesis pertaining to the themes, additional questions were formulated and students' end-of-semester evaluation was used. Analysis suggest that the activities occurring within the themes are dynamic interactive processes against which students' conversation take place.

Publication Type:	Conference Paper
Murdoch Affiliation:	School of Education
Notes:	Appears In: Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2001
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/8686

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