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The relationship between student interaction and message readability in asynchronous online discussions

Published: 16 July 2007 Publication History

Abstract

The current study explores the relationship between the readability of computer conferencing messages and the level of student interaction in asynchronous online discussions. Large-scale quantitative analyses were performed on the activity logs of 37 graduate-level distance education courses at the University of Toronto. The mean Reading Ease and Grade Level scores of student messages were found to be significantly correlated with the mean number of messages that students write, the percentage of student messages that reply to other messages, and mean message size. A correlation was also found between the readability of instructor messages and student messages. Consequently, the data suggest that a positive relationship exists between readability and the level of student online interactivity. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.

References

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Brown, R. E. (2001). The process of community -building in distance learning classes {Electronic version}. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5(2), 18-35.
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Collison, G., Elbaum, B., Haavind, S., & Tinker, R. (2000). Facilitating online learning: Effective strategies for moderators. Madison, WI: Atwood.
[3]
DuBay, W. H. (2002). Using readability tools. Paper presented at the fourth biennial conference of the PLAIN Language Association International, Toronto, Canada.
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DuBay, W. H. (2004). The principles of readability. Costa Mesa, CA: Impact Information Plain-Language Services.
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Dufty, D. F., Graesser, A. C., Louwerse, M., & McNamara, D. S., (2006). Is it just readability, or does cohesion play a role? In R. Sun & N. Miyake (Eds.), Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1251). Mahwah, NJ: Erbaum.
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Friedman, D. B., & Hoffman-Goetz, L. (2006). A systematic review of readability and comprehension instruments used for print and web-based cancer information. Health Education & Behaviour, 33(3), 352-373.
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Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2001). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education {Electronic version}. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2/3), 87-105.
[8]
Klare, G. R. (1963). The measurement of readability. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press.
[9]
Redish, J. (2000). Readability formulas have even more limitations than Klare discusses. ACM Journal of Computer Documentation, 24(3), 132-137.
[10]
Wegerif, R. (1998). The social dimension of asynchronous learning networks {Electronic version}. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 2(1), 34-49.
[11]
Wellman, B., & Gulia, M. (1999). Net-surfers don't ride alone: Virtual communities as communities. In B. Wellman (Ed.), Networks in the global village: Life in contemporary communities (pp. 331-366). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

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cover image DL Hosted proceedings
CSCL'07: Proceedings of the 8th iternational conference on Computer supported collaborative learning
July 2007
881 pages

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International Society of the Learning Sciences

Publication History

Published: 16 July 2007

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Overall Acceptance Rate 182 of 334 submissions, 54%

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  • (2013)Exploring asynchronous and synchronous tool use in online coursesComputers & Education10.5555/2397199.239729660:1(87-94)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2013

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