Critically Reflective Teacher Dialogue In Asynchronous Computer- Mediated Communication Mark Hawkes, Ph.D. Dakota State University International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, August 2001

Computer-Mediated Communications The use of computers and computer networks as communication tools by people who are collaborating with each other to achieve a shared goal, which do not require the physical presence or co-location of participants, and which can provide a forum for continuous communication free of time constraints. (Kaye, 1991, p. 5)

Synchronous Communication b b Takes place in real time, just as if two people were talking on the telephone b b Examples: group decision support systems, virtual hallways, network video conferencing, Internet relay chat, and MUDs (Multiple User Dimensions)

Asynchronous Communications b b These communications are sent to an intended receiver but are not delivered until the receiver physically accesses them. b b Examples: Internet, , newsgroups, listservs, electronic bulletin boards

Characteristics of Asynchronous Communications b b Interactivity b b Time Independence b b Place Independence b b Multi-participant Capacity b b Communication Storage and Retrievability b b Text Orientation

Study Purpose

Key Questions

Characteristics of Study Participants Electronic PBL Districtwide Statewide N%N%N% Number of Teachers , Gender Female , Male , Teaching Tenure 18  15  14  Average School Size623  657  424  Teacher Ethnicity Asian Black , Hispanic ,613 3 White ,649 85

District Characteristics b 27 Schools –4 Junior High Schools –23 Elementary Schools b 15,765 Students (K-8) b Ethnicity: –Asian: 11 % –Black: 5 % –Hispanic: 5% –White: 78 %

Technology Characteristics b b Each of the 1,051 classrooms is connected to the district network b b 64 kilobyte line connectivity b b One networked computer for every 12 students b b Of computers available for student use, approximately 38 percent are laptops and 62 percent are desktops b b District annual technology budget: $4.75 million per year

Project Goals

Project Goals (cont.)

Data Sources b Electronic communications archives b Teacher team meetings b Teacher Interviews b Classroom artifacts –Teacher curriculum plans –Student products –Assessment tools

Methods b Discourse analysis b Server log file analysis b Inferential statistical analysis b Qualitative thematic analysis b Survey

Face-to-face and CMC dialogue content comparison

Chi-square values on discourse interaction variables CMC (n)FTF (n)  1 2 P Involvement Strategies “Wh” clauses Indefinite pronouns Amplifiers Conversational Cooperation Sequential Accountability

Comparison of communication mediums on levels of reflectiveness

Influences on Critical Reflection b Discourse Moderator b OnLine Rules of Etiquette b Conversational Floor b Discourse Focus b Asynchronous Dialogue b Text Orientation b Time

Computer-Mediated Communication b Facilitates teacher reflection b Satisfies knowledge-based professional development needs b promotes teacher collaboration

Suggestions for Implementing CMC Professional Development b Moderator with limited facilitation role. –Assists participants in gaining access to conversational floor –Ensures technical topics do not dominate discourse –Helps maintain discourse focus –Synthesizes contributions and points out how reflective ideas were processes and how individual messages contributed to the reflective discourse

Suggestions (cont.) b Discourse Focus –Immediately applicable to the classroom –For K-6 teachers: age-level focus –For 7-12 teachers: content area focus –Anchored in pedagogy, not technology

Suggestions (cont.) b Participant Composition Narrow participation--Homogeneous groupingNarrow participation--Homogeneous grouping –Convergent tasking activities--curriculum development, study group, study task force Broad participation--Heterogeneous groupingBroad participation--Heterogeneous grouping –Divergent tasking activities--brain storming, anecdotal/experience sharing...

Suggestions (cont.) b Access at home Better/faster access at homeBetter/faster access at home More time at homeMore time at home Teachers do a good deal of their professional work at homeTeachers do a good deal of their professional work at home

Suggestions (cont.) b Teacher Skills Training Screen for presence of appropriate prerequisite skillsScreen for presence of appropriate prerequisite skills Provide training concurrent with reasonable technology accessProvide training concurrent with reasonable technology access Provide technical assistance away from the discourse forum either through or as a separate conference threadProvide technical assistance away from the discourse forum either through or as a separate conference thread Provide pointers to helpful online documents (FAQs)Provide pointers to helpful online documents (FAQs)

Research Needs b A study of threads of discourse rather than chucks/single messages, including the sustainability of reflection, the diversity of contributions, and the utility of CMC participation in improving teacher practice b The effects of conversational pace, purpose, and range of participants on reflection b Task/role analysis