Small-group, computer-mediated argumentation in middle-school classrooms

The effects of gender and different types of online teacher guidance

Bibliographic Data

ID5264602
AuthorsChrista S C Asterhan (0000-0003-4467-1319, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, corresponding author), Baruch B Schwarz (0000-0003-4800-8637, Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Julia Gil, Julia Gil Llinás (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Year2012
Volume82
Issue3
Pages375-397
Publication date2012-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Educational Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-0998 • E-ISSN: 2044-8279
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.2044-8279.2011.02030.x
PMID22881045
OpenAlexW1574663198
LanguageEN
Citations received21
References cited61

Background. Research has shown the importance of careful teacher support during collaborative group work to promote productive discourse between students (Webb, 2009). However, this research has traditionally focused on face-to-face communication. The role of online teacher guidance of small-group computer-mediated discussions has received little attention, especially in secondary school classroom settings. Researchers of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), on the other hand, have traditionally focused on software-embedded features, such as scripts, to support a-synchronous peer dialogue, and less so on human guidance of synchronous group discussions.Aims. The main aim of the present in vivo, experimental study is to examine whether online teacher guidance can improve the quality of small-group synchronous discussions, and whether different types of guidance (epistemic or interaction guidance) affect these discussions differently, when compared to an unguided condition. The second goal of this study is to explore potential differences between all-female and all-male discussion groups.Sample. Eighty-two 9th graders (three classrooms) and six teachers from a rural high school in Israel.Results. Whereas epistemic guidance only improved aspects of the argumentative quality of the discussion, interaction guidance only improved aspects of collaboration. Discussions of all-girls groups scored higher on aspects of collaboration and argumentative quality, compared to all-boys groups.Conclusions. The findings show that teacher guidance of synchronous, online discussions in classrooms is realizable and reasonably reaches its intended goals. Training should be focused on acquiring various guidance strategies to augment their beneficial effects. Furthermore, future research should pay more attention to potential gender differences in peer-to-peer argumentation

Affect (linguistics) · Argumentation theory · Argumentative · Collaborative learning · Computer-mediated communication · Computer-supported collaborative learning · Mathematics education · Online discussion · Pedagogy · Quality (philosophy) · Scripting language · The Internet · Communication · Computer Science · Educational Strategies and Epistemologies · Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods · Psychology · Wikis in Education and Collaboration

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