Facilitating debate in networked learning: Reflecting on online synchronous discussion in higher education

Small-group collaborative learning in which students have opportunity for critical discussion is a key element of effective teaching and learning in Higher Education. Providing this sort of education through Networked Learning (NL) is challenging. Research in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) is revealing that facilitating effective use of these tools depends on encouraging students to take many different dialogue roles. Our hypothesis was that asking post-graduate students to reflect on the kinds of role they should take in synchronous online discussion would encourage adoption of such roles. A "role-play" activity was introduced to post-graduate students who used a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) as part of their course. Initial results showed that both distance and face-to-face students, native speakers (NS) and non native speakers (NNS), working collaboratively on the same course through the VLE, had comparable outcomes on essay assignments and that NNS and distance learners slightly outperformed face-to-face students in their group work. Moreover, there was evidence that the facilitation technique of raising student awareness of roles was effective in helping (at least some) students manage synchronous online discussion more effectively, improving the overall coherence, focus and depth of discussion.