Learning achieved in structured online debates: levels of learning and types of postings
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Learning achieved in structured online debates: levels of learning and types of postings Li Jin • Allan Jeong
Received: 28 September 2011 / Accepted: 4 January 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the learning process exhibited in restrained online debates in terms of to what extent each of Bloom’s six levels of cognitive learning were exhibited among four types of message (argument, critique, evidence, and explanation). Thirty-three graduate students enrolled in an online entry-level course in distance learning participated in this study. The threaded discussion postings from four structured online debates were analyzed. The results indicated that five of the six levels of cognitive learning (except for knowledge learning) were achieved to a certain extent among the four types of postings. Chi square tests indicated that higher levels of learning were most likely to be exhibited in critique and argument postings. Message–response exchanges ending with critiques or starting with argument messages were most likely to elicit higher levels responses. The results were discussed in light of better understanding of student learning and implications for instructional designs of discussion topics and restraints. Keywords Structured online debate Constraint-based online debate Levels of learning Learning outcome Online argumentation
Introduction Structured online debates have been examined as a way to enhance cognitive learning (Jeong and Juong 2007; Moore and Marra 2005). Structured online debates, also referred to as constraint-based argumentation (Cho and Jonassen 2002) or scripted online argumentation (Stegmann et al. 2007; Weinberger et al. 2005), are instructional activities in online L. Jin (&) Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, The Florida State University, 184-06 Moore Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA e-mail: [email protected] A. Jeong Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, The Florida State University, 3205 E Stone Building, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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discussions that specify the types of posting students can contribute to the discussions, such as claim, warrant, rebuttal, and backing, which are developed based on certain argumentation models. Argumentation is an essential process of formulating ideas and solving problems (Kuhn 1991) and is advocated as an effective way to promote deeper understanding of a subject (Baker 2003). The use of constraints is to engage students in the process of constructing effective argumentations and consequently achieve high level of knowledge learning (Schellens and Valcke 2005), which involves cognitive processes of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. When engaged in argumentation, two types of learning outcomes are expected: one is the acquisition of argumentation skills, and the other is the acquisition of the subject knowledge based on which the arguments are constructed. The quality of the argumentation is hypot
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