Anderson's six modes of interaction as an architectonic model of online education¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The article reviews Anderson's (2008) interactive model of online education, in which interaction is defined as a reciprocal event involving at least two objects and two actions, and six forms of interaction engage teachers and students. The author reads the six modes as illustrations of Peirce's triadic logic and the operationalization of intertextuality and hypertextuality, with content-content interactions actualizing intertextuality because content is experienced as text existing through exchanges with other texts. As printed: "the six modes of interaction are student-student, student-content, student-teacher, teacher-content, teacher-teacher, and content-content interactions."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Meaningful online learning requires locating appropriate educational interactions within appropriate learning environments

Constraints¶

• The article notes Anderson admits there is no best way to design for these interrelationships and recommends a repertoire of adaptable online learning activities

Target Learners¶

• online educators
• course developers
• higher education students

Target Learning Objectives¶

• interaction design in online courses
• integrative online teaching

Claims¶

• Students prioritize teacher interaction for face-to-face learning but content interaction for online learning [+W]

Related Theories¶

• Interaction Equivalency Theorem: deep formal learning is supported when one of three interaction forms is at a high level
• Architectonics: the philosophical tradition of building and relating meaning, knowledge, and experience
• Intertextuality and hypertextuality as twin modes of convergence operationalizing online education

Examples¶

• Interaction Equivalency Theorem Indicator: a ranking inventory for students' preferred interaction elements
• Online Course Design (Community of Inquiry)

Key Sources¶

• Dennis, J. (2022). (Re)Framing Our Frames: Architectonics, Intertextuality, and the Scholarship of Integration in Online Education. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 48(2). https://www.cjlt.ca. doi:10.21432/cjlt28123