Influence of participation, facilitator styles, and metacognitive reflection on knowledge building in online university courses

  • Authors:

  • Stefano Cacciamani;Donatella Cesareni;Francesca Martini;Tiziana Ferrini;Nobuko Fujita

  • Affiliations:

  • University of Valle d'Aosta, Strada Cappuccini 2/A, 11100 Aosta, Italy;University of Rome "Sapienza", Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185 Roma, Italy;University of Rome "Sapienza", Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185 Roma, Italy;"Regina Maria Adelaide" High School Institute Via Torino 55, 11100 Aosta, Italy;Copenhagen Business School, Howitzvej 60, 2nd floor, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark

  • Venue:
  • Computers & Education
  • Year:
  • 2012

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Abstract

Understanding how to foster knowledge building in online and blended learning environments is a key for computer-supported collaborative learning research. Knowledge building is a deeply constructivist pedagogy and kind of inquiry learning focused on theory building. A strong indicator of engagement in knowledge building activity is the socio-cognitive dynamic of epistemic agency, in which students exercise a higher level of agency for setting forth their ideas and negotiating fit with those of others rather than relying on their teacher. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of (a) levels of participation, (b) facilitator styles and (c) metacognitive reflection on knowledge building in two blended, post-secondary education contexts. A study of a total of 67 undergraduate students suggest that high levels of participation, a supportive facilitator style, and ample opportunities for metacognitive reflection on the students' own participation strategies are most conducive for fostering epistemic agency for knowledge building. Implications of these results for research and instructional design of online courses are discussed.