Fourteenth International Conference on e-Learning & Innovative Pedagogies

Abstract

Asynchronous online group discussions have become one of the most popular tools used to engage students in active learning and to facilitate critical thinking. Although, online learning, in general, is a relatively new phenomenon, there has been some research around the effectiveness of online group discussions. The results of these studies have been mixed. There are potentially multiple factors that may facilitate or hinder students’ critical thinking progression within group discussions. One such factor is the instructional design—e.g., whether students are required to make an original post and a reply to others’ post in their groups. It is possible that forcing students into posting and replying to peers’ posts discourages authenticity. Students may view group discussions as required school work and not as the platform where they can reflect critically upon what they are learning. The present study was set to evaluate a small change in the instructions of online discussions, allowing students to make or reply to their peers’ posts—in other words, they did not have to make replies if they had nothing significant to add. Students were particularly encouraged to reply to posts with which they disagreed. Although the modification in the instructions appears small, it is predicted that students will make more thoughtful posts; and their replies to others’ posts will demonstrate more authentic and critical thought.