Understanding how instructional techniques and classroom norms influence in-class student interactions has the potential to positively impact student learning. Many previous studies have shown that students benefit from discussing their ideas with one another in class. In this study of introductory biology students, we explored how using an in-class accountability system might affect the nature...

The author of this paper designs, develops, and teaches online courses. This paper examines the students' constructive sociocultural interaction in which learning occurs. This paper compares the classroom discussions in virtual and traditional classrooms and analyses the virtual communication in greater detail according to their

In this commentary on the exercise of Lehoux et al (this volume) I argue that in discussions on the current challenges of health systems, a better diagnosis of the health system is required. The cause of responsible innovation in health (RIH) requires a better understanding of the dynamics of health systems, in particular how innovation, demand, and responsibility are m...

The purpose of this study was to explore group forming strategies by examining participation behaviours during whole class discussions associated with active participation in a following small group activity. Written communication data, posted in class discussion forums (843 messages/70,432 words) and small group forums (732 messages/59,394 words), were analyzed quantitatively. The result indic...

This study examined the impact of the online discussion design on adult students’ perceptions of online learning and their online interaction performance. Specifically, in this causal-comparative study we collected data with surveys and the content analysis of online discussion scripts to explore the learning impact of online discussion types (instructor-led versus student-led), the discussion ...

This study analyzes the extent to which students using web-based discussion boards show an increase in perspective-taking in structured and unstructured discussions. Messages from fifty-six students enrolled in one of two courses were content analyzed using Jarvela and Hakkinen’s (2003) expansion of Selman’s (1980) perspective-taking coding scheme. There was a significant difference in the leve...

During my early years at Plymouth State College, I encountered two clearly related problems: first, many students had apparently not done the assigned reading prior to class; and second, when I attempted to provoke class discussion, a relatively small percentage of students seemed willing to participate. Some means was needed to ensure that the material was read and to democratize class discuss...