structured online debate and learning

The Effects of Structured Online Debates on Learning
The Florida State University
Li Jin- Instructional Systems
Dr. Allan Jeong- Instructional Systems

Structured Online Debate
Structure online debate is one type of online discussion: One group supports and another group opposes a given position.
Types of messages students can contribute to structured online debates are limited.
In our study, four types of messages are specified based on Toulmin’s (1958) argumentation model:
Argument
Challenge (critique)
Explanation
Evidence
Structured Online Debate and Learning--Li Jin, Allan Jeong—The Florida State University

Why Structured Online Debate
Structured online debates can enhance cognitive learning by:
Engaging students in specific exchanges – eliminate off-topic discussions
Triggering specified cognitive processes – these processes otherwise would rarely occur
Directing activities toward higher level cognitive learning – analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Bloom, 1956)

Studies about Structured Online Debate
Weingerger, et al. (2001, 2004):
Greater gains in students’ knowledge of transfer
Increased divergence of knowledge and viewpoint
Stegmann, et al. (2007):
Increased quality of messages generated by students by including supporting information, assessments of validity of claims
Schellens, et al. (2007):
Higher level of knowledge construction
Efforts of testing and constructing new structures
The conclusion is:
Structured online debate can enhance learning.

Research Questions
Q1: To what extent is each level of cognitive learning achieved within each of the four types of postings observed in the online debates?
Learning
Knowledge (?%)
Comprehension (?%)
Application (?%)
Analysis (?%)
Synthesis (?%)
Evaluation (?%)
Argument
Challenge
Evidence
Explanation
Learning
Learning
Learning

Research Questions
Q2: Which types of messages are more likely to demonstrate a particular level of cognitive learning?
Learning
Knowledge (?%)
Comprehension (?%)
Application (?%)
Analysis (?%)
Synthesis (?%)
Evaluation (?%)
Argument
Challenge
Evidence
Explanation
Learning
Learning
Which is the greatest?
Learning

Research Questions
Q3: What types of exchanges are most likely to exhibit and trigger subsequent responses that demonstrate a particular level of learning?
Higher Level of Learning
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Examples of exchanges:
Argument Challenge
Argument Evidence
Challenge Explanation
……
For each pair on the right list, which on the left list has the strongest association with it?

Data

298 messages from 4 structured online debates
Participants are graduate students enrolled in an online course in fall 2007.

Results
Q1-argument: To what extent each level of cognitive learning has been achieved in argumentmessages?

Results
Q1-challenge: To what extent each level of cognitive learning has been achieved in challengemessages?

Results
Q1-evidence: To what extent each level of cognitive learning has been achieved in evidencemessages?

Results
Q1-explanation: To what extent each level of cognitive learning has been achieved in explanationmessages?

Results
Q2: What type(s) of message is more likely to demonstrate a particular level of cognitive learning?
*significant at .05, compared to 0, does not assume equal variances.

Results
Q3: Which message-response pairs exhibited higher levels of learning? (Top three exchange pairs observed for each higher levels of learning, percentage is over total number of messages of corresponding learning level)

Results
Q3: Which message-response pairs exhibited higher levels of learning? (Top three exchange pairs observed for each higher levels of learning, percentage is over total number of messages of corresponding exchange pairs)

Conclusions
Lowest level of learning (knowledge) was not observed in structured online debates, which indicates that structured online debates effectively directs learners’ activities to other higher level learning activities.
A total of 53.2% of all the postings demonstrate higher level learning (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation). Compared to studies of regular types of online discussion, this indicates structured online debates can effectively enhance higher level learning.

Conclusions
Challenge messages are most likely to exhibit higher level learning, including analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, compared to other types of messages.
Exchanges that end with challenges are more likely to trigger higher levels of learning.

Use of structured online debate can enhance learning.
Encouraging students to challenge other’s ideas or opinions can effectively trigger higher level learning.

Questions? Comments? Presenter Contact: ljin@campus.fsu.edu
The Florida State University
Li Jin- Instructional Systems
Dr. Allan Jeong- Instructional Systems