Virtual Classrooms: Analyzing student and instructor collaborative experiences

Main Article Content

Anita Chadha
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9679-6853

Abstract

Virtual courses create a self-directed learning environment for students. Given that online environments provide anonymity so that the emphasis is on the content, rather than on the form of the message or the identity of the sender (Herring, 1993) this study assesses students’ personal usages in an online collaboration across several states and semesters. In examining the student and instructor perspective, the findings are significant in that, students engage in reflective work employing academic quality discussions across varying institution types from community colleges to public and private universities and that their discussions occur without gender or question type biases. Semester-end surveys confirm that an asynchronous e-learning collaboration enhanced their educational experience and they belonged to a global community of learners. This study adds its significant findings about the growth of online discussions promoting and enhancing the experience of e-learners and collaborative endeavors.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Chadha, A. (2018). Virtual Classrooms: Analyzing student and instructor collaborative experiences. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 18(3). https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v18i3.22318
Section
Articles

References

Alavi, M., Wheeler, B. C., & Valacich, J. S. (1995). Using IT to re-engineer business education: An exploratory investigation of collaborative tele learning. MIS Quarterly, 19(3), 293-312.

Allan, B. (2007). Time to Learn? E-learners' experiences of time in virtual learning communities. Management Learning, 38(5), 557-573. doi:10.1177/1350507607083207

Anderson, T. (2003). Modes of interaction in distance education: Recent developments and research questions. In M.G. Moore & W. G. Anderson (Ed.), Handbook of Distance Education. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.

Angelino, L. M., Williams, F. K., & Natvig, D. (2007). Strategies to engage online students and reduce attrition rates. The Journal of Educators Online, 4(2), 1-14.

Arbaugh, J. B. (2000a). Virtual classroom versus physical classroom: An exploratory study of class discussion patterns and student learning in an asynchronous online MBA course. Journal of Management Education, 24(2), 213-233. doi:10.1177/105256290002400206

Arbaugh, J. B. (2000b). Virtual classroom characteristics and student satisfaction with online MBA courses. Journal of Management Education, 24(1), 32-54. doi:10.1177/105256290002400104

Ardichvili, A. (2008). Learning and knowledge sharing in virtual communities of practice: Motivators, barriers, and enablers. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 10(4), 541-554. doi:10.1177/1523422308319536

Ardichvili, A. (2008). Learning and knowledge sharing in virtual communities of practice: Motivators, barriers, and enablers. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 10(4), 541-554. doi:10.1177/1523422308319536

Asterhan, C., Schwarz, B., & Gil, J. (2012). Small-group, computer-mediated argumentation in middle-school classrooms: The effects of gender and different types of online teacher guidance. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 82 (3), 375-397. doi:10.1111/j.20448279.2011.02030.

Barr, R. B., & Tagg, J. (1995). From teaching to learning: A new paradigm for undergraduate education, Change, 27(6), 13-25.

Benbunan-Fich, R., Hiltz, S. R., & Harasim, L. (2005). The online interaction learning model: An integrated theoretical framework for learning networks. In S. R. Hiltz and R. Goldman, Learning together online. Mhwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Bernard, R.M., Abrami, P.C., Lou, Y., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Wozney, L., Wallet, P .A. Fiset, M., Huang, B. (2004). How does distance education compare with classroom instruction? A meta-analysis of the empirical literature. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 379-439.

Bergmann, Jon (2013). The Flipped Classroom: A Student’s Perspective. http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/learning-science-technology/the-flipped-classroom-astudents-perspective

Bonk, C., & Zhang, K. (2006). Introducing the R2D2 model: Online learning for the diverse learners of this world. Distance Education, 27(2), pp. 249-264. Doi: 10.1080/01587910600789670

Bonk, C. J., Wisher, R. A., & Lee, J. (2003). Moderating learner-centered e-learning: Problems and solutions, benefits and implications. In T. S. Roberts (Ed.). Online collaborative learning: Theory and practice. Hershey, PA: Idea Group.

Bower, M., Dalgarno, B., Kennedy. G., Lee, M. J. W. & Kinney, J. (2014). Blended Synchronous Learning: A Handbook for Educators. Office for Learning and Teaching. Sydney, AU: Department of Education. https://blendsync.org/handbook

Brown, J. S., & Duguid, P. (2000). The Social Life of Information. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Benbunan-Fich, R., Hiltz, S. R., & Harasim, L. (2005). The online interaction learning model: An integrated theoretical framework for learning networks. In S. R. Hiltz and R. Goldman, Learning together online. Mhwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Busbin, W. B. (2013). Can deliberation occur? Student decision-making about Controversial political issues in online, face-to-face, and blended formats. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

Clark, Christopher H.; Bordwell, Daniel T.; and Avery, Patricia G. (2015) "Gender and Public Issues Deliberations in Named and Anonymous Online Environments," Journal of Public Deliberation: Vol. 11: Iss. 2, Article 2.

Coates, J. (1986). Women, men, and language. New York: Longman.

Dirckinck-Holmfield, L., Sorensen, E. K., Ryberg, T. and Buus, L. (2004) ‘A Theoretical Framework for Designing Online Master Communities of Practice’, in S. Banks et al. (Eds) Networked Learning, pp. 267–73. Lancaster: University of Lancaster.

Dumont, R. A. (1996). Teaching and learning in cyberspace. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 39(4), 192-204.

Farinella, J. A., Hobbs, B. K., & Weeks, H. S. (2000). Distance delivery: The faculty perspective. Financial Practice and Education, 10, 184–194.

Flatley, M. E. (2007). Teaching the virtual presentation. Business Communication Quarterly, 70(3), 301-305. doi:10.1177/1080569907305305

Fejes, A., Johansson, K., & Abrandt Dahlgren, M. (2005). Learning to play the seminar game: Students’ Initial encounters with a basic working form in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, (10)1, 29-41.

Garrison, D. R. (2006). Online collaboration principles. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 10(1), 25-34.

Garrison, D. R., & Vaughan, N. (2008). Blended learning in higher education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Gilmore, S., & Warren, S. (2007). Themed article: Emotion online: experiences of teaching in a virtual learning environment. Human Relations, 60(4), 581-608. doi:10.1177/0018726707078351

Goodyear, P. & Zenios, M. (2008) Discussion, collaborative knowledge work and epistemic fluency. British Journal of Educational Studies. 55(4), 351-368.

Graddol, D., & J. Swann. (1989). Gender Voices. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

Gurin, P., Nagda, B. A., & Lopez, G. (2004). The benefits of diversity in education for democratic citizenship. Journal of Social Issues , 60 (1), 17-34.

Guttman, A. (2000). Why should schools care about civic education? In L. McDonnell, P. M. Timpane, & R. Bejamin (Eds.), Rediscovering the democratic purposes of education. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas.

Herring, Susan. (1993). Gender and Democracy in Computer-Mediated Communication. Electronic Journal of Communication: http://www.cios.org/EJCPUBLIC/003/2/00328.HTML

Harlina Halizah Siraj, Abdus Salam, Nurul Ashiqin bt Hasan, Tan Hiang Jin, Raihanah Binti Roslan, Muhammad Nazam Bin Othman(2015). Internet Usage and Academic Performance: A Study in a Malaysian Public University. International Medical Journal Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 83 – 86.

Karpowitz, C., & Mendelberg, T. (2014). The silent sex: Gender, deliberation, and institutions. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Khan, B. H. (2000). Discussion of resources and attributes of the web for the creation of meaningful learning environments. CyberPyschology & Behavior, 3(1), 17-23.

Kiesler, S., J. Seigel, & T. W. McGuire. (1984). Social psychological aspects of computer mediated communication. American Psychologist, 39:1123-1134.

Larson, B. E. (2003). Comparing face-to-face discussion and electronic discussion: A case study from high school social studies. Theory & Research in Social Education, 31, 347-365. doi:10.1080/00933104.2003.10473229

Mujgan and Geyik (2015). An Empirical Research on General Internet Usage Patterns of Undergraduate Students. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences Volume 195, 3 July 2015, Pages 895–904.

National Center for Education Statistics. (1999). Distance education at postsecondary institutions, 1997-1998 (NCES Report 2000-013).Washington, DC: Author.

Northrup, P. T. (2002). Online learners’ preferences for interaction. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 3(2), 219-226.

Oblinger, D. G., & Maruyama, M. K. (1996). Distributed learning (CAUSE Professional Paper Series No. 14). Boulder, CO: CAUSE

Pape, L. (2010). Blended Teaching & Learning. School Administrator, 67 (4), 16–21.

Powell, M., & Jacques (2014). The Graduate Virtual Classroom Webinar: A Collaborative and Constructivist Online Teaching Strategy. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching

Shang-Shan, C., Zhi-Feng Liu, E., Nian-Shing, C., Ru-Chu, S., & Chiung-Sui, C. (2012). Gender differences in college students' behaviors in an online question-answer discussion activity. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 21(2), 244-256.

Thomas, M. J. W. (2002). “Learning with Incoherent Structures: The Space of Online Discussion Forums.” Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 18(3): 351-366.

Tiene, Drew. (2004). “Online Discussions: A Survey of Advantages and Disadvantages Compared to Face-to-Face Discussions.” Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 9: 371.

U.S. Department of Education report (2010). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf

Van Vechten, Renée et. al. (2013). How Students Talk to Each Other: An Academic Social Networking Project. Chapter 11 in Alison Rios Millett McCartney and Elizabeth Bennion, Eds. Teaching Civic Engagement: From Student to Active Citizen. Washington, D.C.: The American Political Science Association.

Vu Minh Chieu, Karl W. Kosko, Patricio G. Herbst (2015). An Analysis of Evaluative Comments in Teachers’ Online Discussions of Representations of Practice. Journal of Teacher Education, vol. 66 no. 1 35-50

Webster, J., & Hackley, P. (1997). Teaching effectiveness in technology-mediated distance learning. Academy of Management Journal, 40(6), 1282-1309.

Zuniga, X., Vasques-Scalera, C., Sevig, T. D., & Nagda, B. A. (1997). Exploring and bridging race/ethnic differences: Developing intergroup diaglogue competencies in a co-learning environment. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Meeting. Chicago, IL.