A Comparison of Participation Patterns in Selected Formal, Non-formal, and Informal Online Learning Environments / Comparaison des modes de participation dans des environnements formels, non formels et informels d'apprentissage en ligne
ARTICLE
Richard Schwier, University of Saskatchewan ; Jennifer Seaton
CJLT Volume 39, Number 1, ISSN 1499-6677 e-ISSN 1499-6677 Publisher: Canadian Network for Innovation in Education
Abstract
Does learner participation vary depending on the learning context? Are there characteristic features of participation evident in formal, non-formal, and informal online learning environments? Six online learning environments were chosen as epitomes of formal, non-formal, and informal learning contexts and compared. Transcripts of online discussions were analyzed and compared employing Transcript Analysis Tools for measures of density, intensity, and reciprocity of participation (Fahy, Crawford, & Ally, 2001), and mean reply depth (Wiley, n.d.). This paper provides an initial description and comparison of participation patterns in a formal, non-formal, and informal learning environment, and discusses the significance of differences observed. La participation des apprenants varie-t-elle en fonction du contexte d'apprentissage? Existe-t-il des caractéristiques de participation spécifiques aux environnements formels, non formels et informels d'apprentissage en ligne? Six environnements d'apprentissage en ligne ont été sélectionnés pour illustrer les contextes formels, non formels et informels d'apprentissage et ont été comparés. Les transcriptions des discussions en ligne ont été analysées et comparées à l’aide des Transcript Analysis Tools pour mesurer la densité, l'intensité et la réciprocité de la participation (Fahy, Crawford, et Ally, 2001), ainsi que la profondeur moyenne de réponse (John Wiley & Sons, nd). Cet article décrit et compare les modes de participation dans un environnement formel, non formel et informel d'apprentissage, et discute la portée des différences observées.
Citation
Schwier, R. & Seaton, J. (2013). A Comparison of Participation Patterns in Selected Formal, Non-formal, and Informal Online Learning Environments / Comparaison des modes de participation dans des environnements formels, non formels et informels d'apprentissage en ligne. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology / La revue canadienne de l’apprentissage et de la technologie, 39(1),. Canadian Network for Innovation in Education. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/54424/.
References
View References & Citations Map- Anderson, T. (2003). Modes of interaction in distance education: Recent developments and research questions. In M.G. Moore& W.G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (pp. 129-144). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
- Brook, C., & Oliver, R. (2006). Exploring the influence of instructor actions on community development in online settings. In N. Lambropoulos & P. Zaphiris (Eds.), User-centred design of online learning communities (pp. 341-364). Hershey, PA: Idea Group.
- Coombs, P.H. (1985). The world crisis in education: The view from the Eighties. New York: Oxford.
- Daniel, B.K. (2011). Handbook of research on methods and techniques for studying virtual communities: Paradigms and phenomena. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference, IGI-Global.
- Fahy, P.J., Crawford, G., & Ally, M. (2001). Patterns of interaction in a computer conference transcript. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 2(1). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/36
- Garrison, D.R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2003). A theory of critical inquiry in online distance education. In M.G. Moore& W.G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (pp. 113-127). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
- Garrison, D.R., Cleveland-Innes, M., Koole, M., & Kappelman, J. (2006). Revisiting methodological issues in transcript analysis: Negotiated coding and reliability. Internet and Higher Education, 9, 1-8.
- Jeong, A. & Lee, W.J. (2012). Developing causal understanding with causal maps: The impact of total links, temporal flow, and lateral position of outcome nodes. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 60(2), 325-340.
- Jeong, A., Lee, W.J., & Kim, H.Y. (2011). A path analysis of online discussion behaviors and their impact on quality of posting in online debates. Paper accepted at the American Educational Research Association conference, New Orleans, LA.
- Luppicini, R. (2007). Trends in distance education: A focus on communities of learning. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
- Murphy, E., & Coleman, E. (2004). Graduate students' experiences of challenges in online asynchronous discussions. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 30(2), 29-46.
- Reeves, T. (2011). Can educational research be both rigorous and relevant? Educational Designer, 1(4). Retrieved from http://www.educationaldesigner.org/ed/volume1/issue4/article13/pdf/ed_1_4_reeves_11.pd F
- Rourke, L., & Anderson, T. (2004). Validity in quantitative content analysis. Educational Technology Research and Development, 52(1), 5-18.
- Tough, A. (1971). The adult’s learning projects: A fresh approach to theory and practice in adult learning. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
- Zhu, E. (1996). Meaning negotiation, knowledge construction, and mentoring in a distance learning course. Proceedings of Selected Research and Development Presentations at the 1996 National Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, Indianapolis, IN. Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED397849) Authors
These references have been extracted automatically and may have some errors. Signed in users can suggest corrections to these mistakes.
Suggest Corrections to References