Enhancing in-class participation in a Web 2.0 world

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that students’ participation in class is an important factor in their learning; yet, significant barriers exist to all students’ participation during whole group discussions. These barriers include dynamics related to class size and available time as well as personal dimensions such as gender, age, and learning preferences. The emergence of new forms of social media can help break down those barriers by enabling collaborative construction of understanding. The present study examined whether the concurrent use of a shared learning document during class might provide a means of enhancing participation and learning. Because of the natural tendency of students’ attention to wander over time, the study examined whether providing a parallel learning and sharing space might serve to “focus distraction” in productive ways. During graduate and undergraduate courses in two different universities, the authors used a single Google document, open to every class member. Analysis of these collaborative documents and their use are described, along with student self-reports and videotapes. Data indicate that this approach created the type of participatory space we intended. Its use often broadened the numbers of students involved and increased the quality of spoken and virtual conversations as students negotiated meaning. When attention began to drift, the shared document created new opportunities for students to stay focused and explore course content through its use as an alternative back-channel. This approach also facilitated self-differentiation, as students determined which mix of available media best met their needs.

Citation

Rhine, S. and Bailey, M. (2011), "Enhancing in-class participation in a Web 2.0 world", Wankel, C. (Ed.) Educating Educators with Social Media (Cutting-Edge Technologies in Higher Education, Vol. 1), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 303-325. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2044-9968(2011)0000001018