Peers' Interaction Patterns and Learning Effectiveness in Asynchronous Online Discussions In a Content-based English Language Class

[[abstract]]本研究旨在探討英語專業課程中使用非同步討論為輔助學習工具之同儕互動型態與學習成效。透過言談分析學生在非同步討論區的討論內容、期末問卷調查以及小組訪談，並搭配獨立樣本單因子變異數分析、Scheffe事後檢定比較，深入探究學生在非同步討論中的互動型態與學習成效，進而瞭解互動及學習成效之間的關係。學生在非同步討論中的互動型態研究包括 1) IRF (Initiation-Response-Follow-up) 訊息交換模式：啟發，反應，後續；2) 問題/評論型訊息模式；及 3) 知識分享/關係建立訊息模式。而學生在非同步討論中的學習成效，包括學生在非同步討論中使用之思考能力層級，以及學生自評問卷中之語言及課程學習成效。本研究之參與者為南台灣一所科技大學應用英語系三年級35位學生，以隨機分組方式分為四組，每組 8-9 位學生，進行課後非同步討論。 主要研究結果如下： 1) 在互動型態方面：學生對非同步的參與度皆良好，在 IRF 訊息交換模式中以啟發(I)為主。在問題/評論型訊息模式中以問題型訊息為主，學生也較常回應問題型訊息。知識交換功能訊息及關係建立功能訊息皆有出現在學生的互動中。 2) 在學習成效方面：在思考能力的使用上，學生在互動訊息中主要使用記憶性(memory)以及聚斂性(convergent)思考。在學生自評之課程內容學習及語言學習成效上，內容理解能力，分析能力，以及理論應用能力皆有良好提升。英語寫作與閱讀能力的提升則有限。 3) 互動型態與學習成效彼此之影響：在互動型態與思考能力的關係中，學生在問題類訊息以及單純知識交換功能訊息中使用較多擴散性(divergent)以及評斷性(evaluative)思考能力。此外，非同步討論中互動頻率高的組別也使用較多的擴散性以及分析性思考。在互動型態與自評學習成效中，回應字數字數與篇數都較多以及較常使用純粹知識交換功能訊息的小組，理論應用能力的自評結果較佳；相反的，回應字數與篇數較少，也較不常使用純粹知識交換功能訊息的小組，理論應用能力的自評結果則較差。而在其他學習成效上，則與互動型態無顯著影響。 最後，本研究針對非同步討論應用於英語專業課程中，提出若干教學建議以及未來可繼續研究之方向。[[abstract]]The purpose of the study is to investigate students’ interaction patterns and learning effectiveness in asynchronous online discussions in a content-based English language class There were 35 participants who were third-year English majors at a university of science and technology in southern Taiwan They were randomly assigned to four groups each of which contained 8-9 students participating in the asynchronous online discussions The data sources include the peer-to-peer online discussions the students’ responses to the end-of-semester questionnaire and focus-group interviews The students’ interaction patterns and levels of thinking skills were investigated through the analysis of the students’ online discussions The students’ self-evaluated effectiveness in language learning and in content learning was investigated from the students’ responses to the end-of-semester questionnaire through the analysis of one-way ANOVA and Scheffe Post Hoc Test The focus-group interviews and the responses to open-ended questions in the questionnaire were examined to see how the students’ interaction patterns in asynchronous online discussions (AOD) and learning effectiveness affected each other The major findings of the study are summarized as follows: 1) Students’ interaction patterns in AOD: In the IRF structure “I” was the students’ primary move In the feedback types the students asked more questions than comments and they replied to questions more often than did to comments In the feedback functions most of the students’ messages contained both information-exchange and relationship-building functions 2) Students’ learning effectiveness: Regarding the students’ levels of thinking skills they primarily used memory and convergent thinking skills in their interaction in AOD As for the students’ perceived learning effectiveness they reported that their comprehension of the course contents analytical skills and application of theories were all greatly improved However they did not perceive their English writing and reading skills were considerably improved 3) Effects between interaction patterns and learning effectiveness: In the relationship between the students’ interaction patterns and the use of thinking skills they used more divergent and evaluative thinking skills in question type and information-exchange only messages In the relationship between the students’ interaction patterns and their perceived learning effectiveness the group who wrote longer messages to their peers exchanged messages more often and wrote more information-exchange only messages than the other groups perceived that they had better application of theories The learning effectiveness in other areas was not significantly affected by the students’ interaction patterns In the end of the thesis some implications for implementing asynchronous online discussions in English content-based language courses and recommendations for future studies are provide