Structure online small group work to maximize meaningful exchanges, assign conversational roles, ensure question-and-answer opportunity, and provide instructor feedback¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The article's implications section recommends that because text-based interaction is the entirety of communication in asynchronous classrooms, "educators and instructional designers should provide structures that maximize meaningful exchanges among participants." It suggests assigning roles for beginning and ending conversations, ensuring groups can ask and answer questions, offering tasks and incentives that elicit valuable contributions, and not assuming student interaction alone suffices without expert feedback.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• An asynchronous computer-mediated environment in which text interactions constitute class communication; participants oriented to group work

Constraints¶

• The study systematically excluded teacher feedback, so effects of feedback during group work remain untested; findings are directed at adult reentry students

Target Learners¶

• adult reentry undergraduate students in online distance courses

Target Learning Goals¶

• course content achievement in business management
• satisfaction and continuing motivation for small group work

Related Strategies¶

• Structured Peer Discussion Roles
• Text Based Discussion Protocols

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Brewer, S. A., & Klein, J. D. (2003). Small Group Learning in an Online Asynchronous Environment. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED484997