Analyzing the knowledge construction and cognitive patterns of blog-based instructional activities using four frequent interactive strategies (problem solving, peer assessment, role playing and peer tutoring): a preliminary study

Instructional strategies can be helpful in facilitating students’ knowledge construction and developing advanced cognitive skills. In the context of collaborative learning, instructional strategies as scripts can guide learners to engage in more meaningful interaction. Previous studies have been investigated the benefits of different instructional strategies; nonetheless, relatively little attention has been paid to illustrating the learners’ cognitive processing and behavioral patterns in the learning process. Nowadays, with the proliferation of information technology, behavior and interaction of learners can be conveniently documented and analyzed. The aim of this study is to propose a new approach examining the learning process. This study designed a four-week collaborative learning activity involving four widely used instructional strategies, i.e. problem solving, peer assessment, role playing and peer tutoring. Blogs were used to support students’ collaboration. A total of 9843 discussion messages were retrieved for data analysis. Quantitative content analysis and lag sequential analysis were employed to explore the content structure and behavioral patterns demonstrated in students’ online discussions. The results showed that students exhibited relatively more cognitive process of ‘understand’ under peer assessment and peer tutoring instructional strategies. Meanwhile, students showed relatively more cognitive process of ‘create’ under problem solving and role playing strategies. Implications of the findings and suggestions for subsequent work are discussed.

[1]  Sarah E. Scherling.  Designing and Fostering Effective Online Group Projects , 2011 .

[2]  Athanassios Jimoyiannis,et al.  Towards an analysis framework for investigating students' engagement and learning in educational blogs , 2012, J. Comput. Assist. Learn..

[3]  John Scott.  Social Network Analysis , 1988 .

[4]  Charlotte N. Gunawardena,et al.  Analysis of a Global Online Debate and the Development of an Interaction Analysis Model for Examining Social Construction of Knowledge in Computer Conferencing , 1997 .

[5]  Joe F. Donaldson,et al.  A Model of College Outcomes for Adults , 1999 .

[6]  Huei-Tse Hou.  EXPLORING THE BEHAVIOURAL PATTERNS IN PROJECT-BASED LEARNING WITH ONLINE DISCUSSION: QUANTITATIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS AND PROGRESSIVE SEQUENTIAL ANALYSIS , 2010 .

[7]  T. Paulus,et al.  To blog or not to blog: Student perceptions of blog effectiveness for learning in a college-level course , 2010, Internet High. Educ..

[8]  K. Topping.  The effectiveness of peer tutoring in further and higher education: A typology and review of the literature , 1996 .

[9]  M. Valcke,et al.  Supporting active cognitive processing in collaborative groups: The potential of Bloom's taxonomy as a labeling tool , 2009, Internet High. Educ..

[10]  Yao-Ting Sung,et al.  A longitudinal analysis of the behavioural patterns in teachers using blogs for knowledge interactions , 2011, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[11]  Allan Hoi Kau Yuen,et al.  Towards a framework for educational affordances of blogs , 2011, Comput. Educ..

[12]  Charoula Angeli,et al.  Using educational data mining methods to assess field-dependent and field-independent learners’ complex problem solving , 2013 .

[13]  Benjamin S. Bloom,et al.  A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives , 2000 .

[14]  Yao-Ting Sung,et al.  Using blogs as a professional development tool for teachers: analysis of interaction behavioral patterns , 2009, Interact. Learn. Environ..

[15]  Il-Hyun Jo.  An Exploratory Investigation for an Instructional Design Model from the Knowledge Management Perspective , 2008 .

[16]  Konstantinos Tatsis,et al.  Supporting "Learning by Design" Activities Using Group Blogs , 2008, J. Educ. Technol. Soc..

[17]  Brian K. Payne,et al.  Addressing issues in group work in the classroom , 2005 .

[18]  Robert D. Tennyson,et al.  Improving problem solving and creativity through use of complex-dynamic simulations , 2002, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[19]  R. Joiner,et al.  Technologically mediated complex problem‐solving on a statistics task , 2005 .

[20]  Liam Rourke,et al.  Validity in quantitative content analysis , 2004 .

[21]  F. Fischer,et al.  Toward a Script Theory of Guidance in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning , 2013, Educational psychologist.

[22]  Erik Duval,et al.  Learning dashboards: an overview and future research opportunities , 2013, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing.

[23]  John G. Hedberg,et al.  A framework for Web 2.0 learning design , 2010 .

[24]  Janice D. Gobert,et al.  From Log Files to Assessment Metrics: Measuring Students' Science Inquiry Skills Using Educational Data Mining , 2013, Journal of the Learning Sciences.

[25]  Ryan S. Baker,et al.  The State of Educational Data Mining in 2009: A Review and Future Visions. , 2009, EDM 2009.

[26]  Huei-Tse Hou.  A case study of online instructional collaborative discussion activities for problem-solving using situated scenarios: An examination of content and behavior cluster analysis , 2011, Comput. Educ..

[27]  Yu-Chih Sun,et al.  Developing reflective cyber communities in the blogosphere: a case study in Taiwan higher education , 2010 .

[28]  Chin-Chung Tsai,et al.  On-line peer assessment and the role of the peer feedback: A study of high school computer course , 2007, Comput. Educ..

[29]  Daniel Churchill,et al.  Educational applications of Web 2.0: Using blogs to support teaching and learning , 2009, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[30]  Marilyn A. Dyrud,et al.  Blogging for Enhanced Teaching and Learning , 2005 .

[31]  Terry Anderson,et al.  Learning Outcomes and Students' Perceptions of Online Writing: Simultaneous Implementation of a Forum, Blog, and Wiki in an EFL Blended Learning Setting. , 2010 .

[32]  Helen S. Du,et al.  Learning With Weblogs: Enhancing Cognitive and Social Knowledge Construction , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication.

[33]  Hasan Çakir,et al.  Use of blogs in pre-service teacher education to improve student engagement , 2013, Comput. Educ..

[34]  D. Garrison,et al.  Critical thinking, cognitive presence, and computer conferencing in distance education , 2001 .

[35]  Janet L. Kolodner,et al.  The Roles of Scripts in Promoting Collaborative Discourse in Learning by Design , 2007 .

[36]  Robyn Philip,et al.  Group blogs: Documenting collaborative drama processes , 2009 .

[37]  Manu Kapur,et al.  Temporality matters: Advancing a method for analyzing problem-solving processes in a computer-supported collaborative environment , 2011, Int. J. Comput. Support. Collab. Learn..

[38]  Roger Bakeman,et al.  Observing Interaction: An Introduction to Sequential Analysis , 1986 .

[39]  Sheng-Yi Wu,et al.  Analyzing the social knowledge construction behavioral patterns of an online synchronous collaborative discussion instructional activity using an instant messaging tool: A case study , 2011, Comput. Educ..

[40]  Huei-Tse Hou,et al.  Exploring Students’ Cognitive Dimensions and Behavioral Patterns during a Synchronous Peer Assessment Discussion Activity Using Instant Messaging , 2012 .

[41]  Heather Kanuka,et al.  The influence of instructional methods on the quality of online discussion , 2006, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[42]  Nian-Shing Chen,et al.  Effects of high level prompts and peer assessment on online learners' reflection levels , 2009, Comput. Educ..

[43]  Kuo-En Chang,et al.  Exploring college students' cognitive processing patterns during a collaborative problem-solving teaching activity integrating Facebook discussion and simulation tools , 2014, Internet High. Educ..

[44]  Allan Jeong.  The Sequential Analysis of Group Interaction and Critical Thinking in Online , 2003 .

[45]  Carol K. K. Chan,et al.  Using blogs to support learning during internship , 2012, Comput. Educ..

[46]  Gilad Ravid,et al.  NETWORK ANALYSIS OF KNOWLEDGE CONSTRUCTION IN ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING NETWORKS , 2019, Online Learning.

[47]  Richard K. Ladyshewsky,et al.  Peer assisted learning and blogging: A strategy to promote reflective practice during clinical fieldwork , 2008 .

[48]  Kuo-En Chang,et al.  Analyzing knowledge dimensions and cognitive process of a project-based online discussion instructional activity using Facebook in an adult and continuing education course , 2013, Comput. Educ..

[49]  Tammy Schellens,et al.  Structuring Asynchronous Discussion Groups by Introducing Roles , 2008 .

[50]  Khe Foon Hew,et al.  Project-based learning and student knowledge construction during asynchronous online discussion , 2010, Internet High. Educ..

[51]  Huei-Tse Hou,et al.  Analyzing the Learning Process of an Online Role-Playing Discussion Activity , 2012, J. Educ. Technol. Soc..

[52]  Lan Li,et al.  Assessor or assessee: How student learning improves by giving and receiving peer feedback , 2010, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[53]  Frank Fischer,et al.  Internal and external scripts in computer-supported collaborative inquiry learning , 2007, Learning and Instruction.

[54]  Yao-Ting Sung,et al.  Analysis of Problem-Solving-Based Online Asynchronous Discussion Pattern , 2008, J. Educ. Technol. Soc..

[55]  Mark N. Frolick,et al.  Investigating the Use of Role Play Training to Improve the Communication Skills of is Professionals: Some Empirical Evidence , 2003, J. Comput. Inf. Syst..

[56]  Yao-Ting Sung,et al.  An Analysis of Peer Assessment Online Discussions within a Course that uses Project-based Learning , 2007, Interact. Learn. Environ..

[57]  K. Hew,et al.  The use of weblogs in higher education settings: A review of empirical research , 2010 .