Participatory Pattern in Asynchronous Discussion Forum: A Cross-cultural Perspective

1. Participatory Pattern in Asynchronous Discussion Forum: A Cross-cultural Perspective Nawaz Khan and GeethaAbeysinghe School of Engineering and Information Sciences Middlexex University, London 26 August, 2009, HEA 10th Annual Conference

2. Talk Outline • Context setting • Purpose of the study • Approach • Observations • Conceptualisation of the factors • Conclusion

3. Context Setting • Asynchronous online discussion has been extensively applied in actual learning scenarios, and many researchers have also explored the benefits of asynchronous discussion toward learning, i.e. Vonderwell, 2003; Bodzin & Park, 2000; Henri, 1992. • Design of online discussion activities imposes great influence on the quality of online discussion (Patricia & Dabbagh, 2005; Hewitt, 2003; Vonderwell, 2003; Swan et al., 2000; Vrasidas & McIsaac, 1999).

4. Context Setting – Contd. • Collaborative knowledge building and achieving a highest level of critical analysis through online discussion not only depend on the students’ interest on the content but also on several factors that influence their participatory behaviour. • In order to design more suitable online discussion activities, adequate guidance from teachers and strategies for intervention are key.

5. Research indicates that asynchronous discussions have been evaluated positively by non-native students • Non-native students often do not participate much in face-to-face class situations because they lack linguistic flexibility to make contributions quickly • Research suggests that (Kahmi-Stein) asynchronous discussions may be a medium for non-native students to overcome their linguistic limitations and to develop critical thinking abilities.

6. Purpose of the study • In this paper, we argue that, the participatory behaviour of students is largely influenced by the practices in their own country of origin, culture and background. • Cultural diversity needs to be an asset rather than a hindrance. So, how do we overcome the cultural barriers? ‘What role does culture play in individual participation and communication styles?’

7. Approach • four focus groups (F1, F2, F3 and F4) were created. The purposes of these focus groups were to: i. monitor the behaviour in asynchronous discussion forum; ii. receive continuous feedback on the design and implementation of the asynchronous discussion forum and to observe the participatory behaviour; and iii. observe participatory behaviour of the focus group in a complete online teaching environment where classroom based teaching is not offered at all

8. Focus Group Composition

9. Activities of Focus Groups • Questionnaire based survey is conducted on 180 overseas students

10. Observations

11. Observations – Contd. • Observation (O1):The preference for discussion topic is not same but similar for a specific culture. Experience and background of the participants create an impact on the participation and engagement pattern in online discussion forums • Out of 10 different types of discussion topics, the following was observed about the preference of the discussion topic: • Indian students preferred a topic where they expect a business case will be provided for analysis; • Sri Lankan students preferred a topic where that gives a real life business scenario where they can apply their previous experience; • Chinese students preferred a topic that focus on a specific problem. • The overseas students did not show an interest in the type of questions where they have to formulate a research question or to derive a conclusion of a discussion

12. Observation – Contd. • Observation (O2):Expectation from discussion forum varies from culture to culture. • Indian students reported that they prefer solutions to their problems to be provided in the discussion forum and very similar expectations were exhibited by the Pakistani and Nigerian students. • Cypriot students on the other hand showed that they are interested in sharing views and to reach to a common agreement. • When the feedback on discussion topic selection was incorporated in A3, it was observed that the participation by the Cyprus and Egypt students has increased at least by 12%.

13. Observation – Contd. • Observation (O3):Local working environment and national competency influence significantly on engaging in online discussion. • Ability to use tools for education • Curriculum and national competency at the country of origin • Familiarity with the local working environment

14. Conceptualisation of the Cultural Factors

15. Conclusion • students’ participation pattern and their engagement in asynchronous discussion varies due to their preferences and enthusiasm on the discussion topic • It is evident from the study that this preferences are dominated by their cultural background and other factors like local experiences and work environment • Based on the observations we propose a set of constructs which can facilitate in designing a discussion forum