Abstract:The terms "cooperative" and "collaborative" are sometimes used interchangeably in reference to group learning activities in classrooms and in online settings. However, they can be viewed as differing in terms of characteristics such as pre-structure, task structure, and content structure (Strijbos & Martens, 2001; Panitz, 1996). This study attempted to help clarify these differences and the effects of the two types of groups on learner performance in an online debate. The study investigated the effects of a highly structured cooperative learning (HSCP) group, which had pre-assigned debate positions as a pre-structure, argumentation scaffolding as a task structure, and evaluation scaffolding as a content structure, compared to a low structured collaborative learning (LSCL) group, which did not have these structures, in terms of pre-service teachers? decision changes, critical thinking, and interaction patterns. Results demonstrated that there were greater amounts of critical thinking, and of critical and dynamic interaction patterns in the HSCP than LSCL group.

    Subjects: Teaching Methods; Interaction; Cooperative Learning; Comparative Analysis; Critical Thinking; Computer Mediated Communication; Persuasive Discourse; Decision Making; Language Patterns; Online Courses

全文链接