190 likes | 415 Views
Investigating Students’ Cognitive Engagement in e-Learning. by: Nurbiha A Shukor Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS. Introduction.
E N D
Investigating Students’ Cognitive Engagement in e-Learning by: Nurbiha A Shukor Universiti Teknologi Malaysia INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Introduction • Researches in e-Learning have covered wide areas including learning in asynchronous discussion (Ma, 2009; Schellens et al., 2008; Zhu, 2006; Schellens & Valcke, 2005; Van derMeijden, 2005; Oriogun, 2003). • Previous: Students’ cognitive engagement particularly in face-to-face learning environment (Zhu et al., 2009; Helme & Clarke, 2001; Corno & Mandinach, 1983). INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Background of Problem • important to clarify to what extent does the students’ are cognitively engaged in their learning task; will contribute to knowledge acquisition (Zhu et al, 2009). • for some period: online discourses are information-sharing statement - lower degree of cognitive engagement (Zhu, 2006; Schellens & Valcke, 2005; Schellens et al., 2008; Ma 2009) • no empirical mark that higher order learning (construction of new knowledge and critical analysis of peer interaction) (McLoughlin & Luca, 2000). INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Current Cases • students’ level of engagement will influence learning and their motivation (Mandinach & Corno, 1985) • most used type of interactions is ‘direct response’ and the most frequent cognitive skills: ‘elementary clarification’ (Guan et al., 2006). • discussion scripts are irrelevant to the tested Physic subject, and only 11.49 percent reflects meta-cognitive skills (Guan et al., 2006). • Cheung et al (2004) : the graduate students tend to participate in ‘identifying problems’ rather than ‘discussing problems’. INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Understanding Cognitive Engagement • Zhu et al (2009), Blumenfeld et al (2006), Scott & Walczak (2009), Walker et al (2006), Connell & Wellborn (1991): “the voluntarily employment of students’ cognitive while solving the given tasks”
Understanding Cognitive Engagement • Cognitive engagement is not observable in online learning environment but can be understand from the richness of discussion messages (Zhu, 2006) • “.. attention to related readings and effort in analyzing and synthesizing readings demonstrated in discussion messages. • Cognitive engagement, as defined, involves seeking, interpreting, analyzing, and summarizing information; critiquing and reasoning through various opinions and arguments; and making decisions. ” INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Social Knowledge Construction • Van der Meijden (2005): • “.. The provision of elaborations in the form of: • posing comprehension questions that require explanations, • the provision of answers with arguments or justifications, • presentation of new ideas accompanied by explanation, • the acceptance and rejection of the ideas of others accompanied by arguments for doing this ” INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Objective of Study • What is the students’ level of social knowledge construction in asynchronous discussion? INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Research Methodology • Case study to be discussed on the issue of ‘Portal versus Website; Content Management System versus Learning Management System’ • Discussion is open • Participation was voluntarily • No time limit INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Data Analysis • Van der Meijden’s coding scheme (2005); • Message as the unit of analysis - more manageable number of cases and the meaning of each messages can be clearly identified (Rourke et al., 2001).
Results & Discussion • Table 1: Total percentages of the coded messages according to levels of social knowledge construction INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Results & Discussion 1 • Discussion evolved about the area of ‘answering without explanation’ (18.42 percent) • Students prefer to give direct responses rather than giving opinions on the given issue (7.89 percent for CI 1) : giving the complete name for the term ‘LMS’ and ‘CMS’ • Helme and Clarke (2001): the characteristics of the tasks can bring significant influence to cognitive engagement INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Results & Discussion 2 • asking comprehensive questions (CHV 2) dominated by the lecturer (CHV 2= 10.53 percent) • role of a moderator is crucial for initiating fruitful discussion: Shi (2010) - intellectual engagement is very much depended upon teacher’s number and quality of postings as well as students’ participation. • students rarely reach the higher-level of knowledge construction due to insufficient guidance and support for online discussion (Schellens et al., 2008). INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Results & Discussion 3 • asking comprehensive questions (CHV 2) dominated by the lecturer (CHV 2= 10.53 percent) • role of a moderator is crucial for initiating fruitful discussion: Shi (2010) - intellectual engagement is very much depended upon teacher’s number and quality of postings as well as students’ participation. • students rarely reach the higher-level of knowledge construction due to insufficient guidance and support for online discussion (Schellens et al., 2008). INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Results & Discussion 4 • Overall: contribution at the higher-level remains considerably low (28.95%) compared to those obtained by Schellens et al., (2008) INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Results & Discussion 4 • Overall findings support students’ behavior while interacting in small group with teachers as indicated by Helme and Clarke (2001): • students answer teacher’s questions(CHG1= 18.42%) • giving information (CI 1= 7.89%), • explaining procedures and reasoning (CHG2= 2.63%), • questions addressed to teachers (CHV 1= 2.63%), • reflective self-questioning (CHVER= 5.26 %). INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Limitations • Single coder codes the messages: issues of reliability are inevitable • Findings from the research are useful to provide an overview of students’ cognitive engagement in the context of social knowledge construction. INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Conclusion • Students’ level of engagement remains low; • Nature of the tasks; • The role of moderator/ facilitator influenced discussion; INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS
Thank You INSPIRING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS