Communication as a prerequisite for forming online learning communities: a case study


Eleni Giannakopoulou
Resumen

Many researchers and educators have emphasized the importance of forming and developing online learning communities. Moreover, the leading role that the forms and the contents of communication between learners have in the creation and functioning of these communities is stressed. In this paper we present and comment on s, the findings of a research project that studied the aforementioned communication issues between students of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, at the Hellenic Open University. The analysis of the empirical data of this research, shows that the role of communication in the educational activities in which the subjects of our research were involved is extremely weak and consequently the formation of online learning communities is rudimentary.

Article Details
  • Sección
  • Articles
Descargas
Los datos de descargas todavía no están disponibles.
Citas
Alavi, M., and Duftner, D. (2005). Technology-mediated collaborative learning: A research perspective. Στο S. R. Hiltz and R. Goldman (Eds.), Learning together online: Research on asynchronous learning networks (pp. 191–213). Lawrence Erlbaum. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410611482
Anzari, P.P & Pratiwi, S.S. (2021). What's Missing? How Interpersonal Communication Changes During Online Learning. Asian Journal of University Education. 17 (4). 148-157 https://doi.org/10.24191/ajue.v17i4.16213.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
Bruckman, A. (2002). Studying the Amateur Artist: A Perspective on Disguising Data Collected in Human Subjects Research on the Internet. Ethics and Information Technology, 4, 217 - 231. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021316409277.
Chambers, D. (2013). Social media and personal relationships. Online intimacies and networked friendship. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137314444.
Clarke, V. & Braun, V. (2017) Thematic analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12 (3), 297-298.
Cobley P. & Schulz, P.J. (Eds.) (2013). Theories and Models of Communication. De Gruyter.
Dabaj F. (2011). Analysis of Communication Barriers to Distance Education A Review Study. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 1(1). https://www.ajindex.com/dosyalar/makale/acarindex-1423910478.pdf.
Dawson S. (2006). A study of the relationship between student communication interaction and sense of community. Internet and Higher Education, 9, 153–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2006.06.007.
Du, J. Liu, Y., Brown, R.L (2010). The Key Elements of Online Learning Communities. In M. Khosrow-Pour (ed.), Web-Based Education: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications (pp. 119-132). IGI Global.
Fevolden, A.M. & Tømte, C.E. (2015). How Information and Communication Technology Is Shaping Higher Education in Jeroen Huisman, Harry de Boer, David D. Dill, Manuel Souto-Otero (Eds). The Palgrave International Handbook of Higher Education Policy and Governance. (pp. 342-358). Palgrave MacMillan.
Keegan, D. (2001). The basic principles of open and distance education. Trns. A. Melista. Metaichmio (in Greek). (1996). Foundations of Distance Education. Routledge.
Kohls C. & Schümmer T. (2014). Learning Communities – Overview. In Yishay Mor, Harvey Mellar, Steven Warburton and Niall Winters (Eds.) Practical Design Patterns for Teaching and Learning with Technology (pp. 101- 104). Sense Publishers.
Kress G. R. (1988). Communication and Culture. Στο Gunther R. Kress (ed.) Communication and Culture: An Introduction (pp. 1-19). UNSW Press.
Lionarakis A., (2006). The theory of distance education and the complexity of its polymorphic dimension. In A. Lionarakis (ed.) Open and Distance Education – Elements of Theory and Practice, (pp. 7-41). Propompos (in Greek).
Muirhead, B. (2000). Enhancing social interaction in computer-mediated distance education. Educational Technology & Society, 3(4), 40-44.
Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2007a). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom. John Wiley & Sons, p. 27-43.
Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2007b). On line learning communities in perspective. In Rocci Luppicini (ed.) Online learning communities. (pp.3-16). Information Age publishing.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice (4th ed.) (pp. 402-410). Sage.
Rovai, A. P. (2002). Development of an instrument to measure classroom community. Internet and Higher Education, 5(3), 197−211. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/96532/.
Rovai, A. P. (2002a). Building sense of community at a distance. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 3(1), 1–16.
Sahasrabudhea,V. & Kanungo, S. (2014). Appropriate media choice for e-learning effectiveness: Role of learning domain and learning style. Computers & Education, 76, 237-249.
Schirato, T. & & Yell, S. (2000). Communication and Cultural Literacy: An Introduction. Allen & Unwin.
Stodel, E., Thompson, T. & MacDonald, C. (2006). Learners' Perspectives on What is Missing from Online Learning: Interpretations through the Community of Inquiry Framework. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 7(3), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v7i3.325.
Thurmond, V. & Wambach, K. (2004). Understanding interactions in distance education: A review of the literature. International Journal of instructional Technology & Distance Learning, 1-1. http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_04/article02.htm.
Tuovinen, J. E. (2000). Multimedia distance education interactions. Education Media International, 37, 16-24 https://doi.org/10.1080/095239800361473.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.
Wood, A., & Smith, M. (2005). Online communication: Linking technology, identity and culture (2 ed). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Woo, Y. & Reeves T. C. (2007). Meaningful interaction in web-based learning: A social constructivist interpretation. The Internet and Higher Education, 10(1): 15–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2006.10.005.