Constructing Learning Conversations: Virtual Collaborative Learning Processes in Higher Education

Interaction is vital to successful online learning as it supports collaborative learning strategies and fosters ties that bind virtual learning communities, leading to greater student satisfaction and quality learning outcomes. While interactions supported by asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) technologies in higher education are widely studied, less is known about learning conversations facilitated by synchronous CMC technologies. This book aims to increase awareness of the impact of online synchronous (chat) interaction on group learning processes. Given the sparse research on effectiveness of chat interaction in supporting knowledge construction, this book offers a new methodological design that integrates discourse and social network analyses with survey perception analysis for examining impact of chat interaction on facilitating participation, knowledge construction, and quality of online learning experiences in a case study. Recommendations for improving online group learning activity design are provided which will interest researchers and higher education faculty responsible for online learning programmes, and promoters of IT and CMC technologies.