TY - JOUR
T1 - The influences of an experienced instructor's discussion design and facilitation on an online learning community development
T2 - A social network analysis study
AU - Ouyang, Fan
AU - Scharber, Cassandra
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017
PY - 2017/10
Y1 - 2017/10
N2 - Instructors’ discussion design and facilitation have critical influences on online learning community development. Emerging network analysis methods were used to examine the development of an online learning community within a graduate-level course, the variations of an experienced instructor's discussion design, and the dynamics of her discussion facilitation. Results indicated that students gradually formed an interactive online learning community. The instructor, overall, played a facilitator role in this community; yet her participatory roles varied within different discussions during different time frames. Her participatory role evolved from a guide in the first class discussion, to varying roles, i.e., a facilitator, an observer, and a collaborator within different group discussions at the middle stages of the course, and to an observer in the course's later stages. Methodological implications for using social network analysis in online learning community research, and practical implications for designing and facilitating discussions that foster online learning communities were proposed.
AB - Instructors’ discussion design and facilitation have critical influences on online learning community development. Emerging network analysis methods were used to examine the development of an online learning community within a graduate-level course, the variations of an experienced instructor's discussion design, and the dynamics of her discussion facilitation. Results indicated that students gradually formed an interactive online learning community. The instructor, overall, played a facilitator role in this community; yet her participatory roles varied within different discussions during different time frames. Her participatory role evolved from a guide in the first class discussion, to varying roles, i.e., a facilitator, an observer, and a collaborator within different group discussions at the middle stages of the course, and to an observer in the course's later stages. Methodological implications for using social network analysis in online learning community research, and practical implications for designing and facilitating discussions that foster online learning communities were proposed.
KW - An integrated network analysis framework
KW - One-mode and two-mode network analysis
KW - Online instructor participatory role
KW - Online learning community
KW - Social network analysis
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U2 - 10.1016/j.iheduc.2017.07.002
DO - 10.1016/j.iheduc.2017.07.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85026751882
SN - 1096-7516
VL - 35
SP - 34
EP - 47
JO - Internet and Higher Education
JF - Internet and Higher Education
ER -