scholarly journals Enhancing online protocols through design-based research to improve cognitive presence in a large enrolment course

2021 ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Janet Zydney ◽  
Aimee DeNoyelles ◽  
Baiyun Chen ◽  
Kerry Patton
Keyword(s):  
Online Discussions ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Shared Cognition ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
Effective Design ◽  
Careful Design

Instructors face challenges in facilitating higher levels of shared cognition in large enrolment classes. One strategy to foster shared cognition is the use of asynchronous discussions; however, these can be difficult to support with large numbers of students. Online protocols have been found to help students take more ownership of the discussion, reducing the workload of instructors and thus may be helpful in this context. The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective design of online protocols in large enrolment classes. The study used a design-based research methodology to iteratively design, assess and refine the online protocols and the design principles of its underlying protocol pedagogy. Participants for this study were 1,286 students enrolled in a blended undergraduate class in business that used online protocols for discussions over three semesters. The paper describes how iterative changes in the design of protocol-based discussions influenced students' cognitive presence. Students’ perceptions of cognitive presence were significantly higher in the second and third iterations, and the concepts shared by group members were significantly more integrated by the third iteration. Findings suggest that with careful design, these enhanced protocols are a potentially useful strategy to facilitate asynchronous online discussions in large classes. Implications for practice or policy: Students need additional incentives to actively participate in large enrolment courses. Instructors can use peer questioning to increase shared cognition in large enrolment courses. Instructors should create concise directions with modelling of exemplary posts to help reduce confusion. Students in large enrolment courses benefit from additional scaffolding of norms to foster a sense of trust. Design-based research provides an effective methodology to examine both theoretical and practical implications of online protocols on cognitive presence.

scholarly journals Impact of using learning analytics in asynchronous online discussions in higher education

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Pedro Cerro Martínez ◽  
Montse Guitert Catasús ◽  
Teresa Romeu Fontanillas
Keyword(s):  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions

Abstract Following asynchronous online discussion activities as a complex communication process is a demanding task for teachers. In this paper, the authors have explored the potential in supporting such activity through learning analytics. From the beginning, the authors acknowledged the limitations of technology to support the complexities of a pedagogical activity. Therefore, the methodology used was participatory design-based research (DBR) divided into two main stages. The first design phase dealt with the engagement of teachers and pedagogical experts in defining the data and metrics to be used to support the pedagogical concepts. The second consisted of an implementation phase including pilots with students and with crucial engagement of teachers in commenting their understanding over students’ learning processes and the feedback the teachers could offer to them. Overall, the students shown improvements in their performance as monitored through the learning analytics group in contrast with control groups. The discussion over the design and its results could be potentially extrapolated to other educational contexts.

scholarly journals The Impact of Roles Assignment on the Quality of Online Case-Based Discussion

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Larisa Olesova ◽  
Margaret Slavin
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Inquiry ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Role Assignment ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Case Based

The role assignment is an increasingly popular approach for facilitating and evaluating asynchronous online discussions (Strijbos & Weinberger, 2010), with aspirations to enhance students' cognitive presence. However, simply assigning roles may not improve knowledge construction, engagement, or interaction necessary to achieve this goal. Cognitive presence is a critical facet of the community of inquiry, rooted in the critical thinking literature, and is operationalized by the practical inquiry model for assessment purposes (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2001).This presentation will share the methods and results of a study investigating changes in the level of cognitive presence while students played roles (starter, wrapper, and skeptic) in asynchronous online case-based discussions. The study was conducted during fall 2013, spring 2014 and summer 2014 in NUTR 295-DL at George Mason University. The research questions for this study were, "What is the impact of role playing on the level of cognitive presence? How is cognitive presence expressed across different roles played by students when they participate in asynchronous online discussion?"

scholarly journals Exploring the Effect of Scripted Roles on Cognitive Presence in Asynchronous Online Discussions

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Larisa Olesova ◽  
Margaret Slavin ◽  
Jieun Lim
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Threaded Discussions ◽  
Nutrition Course ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
Role Based ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of scripted roles on students’ level of cognitive presence in asynchronous online threaded discussions. A mixed methods design was used to investigate: (1) what level of cognitive presence is achieved by students’ assigned roles in asynchronous online discussions; (2) differences between students’ cognitive presence when the asynchronous online discussions occur during a 5-week intensive summer courses versus 15-week regular semesters (fall and spring); and (3) the impact of the types of questions on students’ cognitive presence in role-based asynchronous online discussions across three semesters in an online introductory nutrition course. The participants of this study were 129 undergraduate students at a major public University in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The results of this research corresponds to the findings of previous research that scripted roles can be an effective strategy to improve both learning processes and outcomes. In addition, this study didn’t find any differences in students’ level of cognitive presence when they enrolled in 5-week summer courses or 15-week regular semesters in fall and spring. Finally, this study found evidence that the types of questions related to the level of cognitive presence, i.e., higher level questions can lead to higher level of cognitive presence and vice versa.

The Impact of Role Assignment on Cognitive Presence in Asynchronous Online Discussion

2017 ◽  
pp. 19-39
Author(s):  
Larisa Olesova ◽  
Jieun Lim
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Instructional Strategy ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Role Assignment ◽  
Threaded Discussions ◽  
Nutrition Course ◽  
Asynchronous Online Learning ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
The Impact

This study examined the impact of role assignment on cognitive presence when students participated in asynchronous online threaded discussions. A mixed methods design was used to investigate changes in the levels of cognitive presence while the students participated in an online introductory nutrition course. This study found evidence that scripted role assignment can be an effective instructional strategy when the approach is implemented into asynchronous online discussions. Implications for instructors and designers of asynchronous online learning environments are discussed.

A Cooperative Species

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Bowles ◽  
Herbert Gintis
Keyword(s):  
Common Good ◽  
Cooperative Groups ◽  
Social Emotions ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Group Competition ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Shame And Guilt ◽  
Group Members ◽  
The Common ◽  
Ethnographic Data

Why do humans, uniquely among animals, cooperate in large numbers to advance projects for the common good? Contrary to the conventional wisdom in biology and economics, this generous and civic-minded behavior is widespread and cannot be explained simply by far-sighted self-interest or a desire to help close genealogical kin. This book shows that the central issue is not why selfish people act generously, but instead how genetic and cultural evolution has produced a species in which substantial numbers make sacrifices to uphold ethical norms and to help even total strangers. The book describes how, for thousands of generations, cooperation with fellow group members has been essential to survival. Groups that created institutions to protect the civic-minded from exploitation by the selfish flourished and prevailed in conflicts with less cooperative groups. Key to this process was the evolution of social emotions such as shame and guilt, and our capacity to internalize social norms so that acting ethically became a personal goal rather than simply a prudent way to avoid punishment. Using experimental, archaeological, genetic, and ethnographic data to calibrate models of the coevolution of genes and culture as well as prehistoric warfare and other forms of group competition, the book provides a compelling and novel account of human cooperation.

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