This another one of those micro-studies so fondly sought by the academic journals in education, but I mention it for a couple of reasons: first, because it challenges some of the conclusions usually found on such articles, and second, because of the study methodology. The sample is tiny - 20 discussion threads from four courses taught at a single institution. The authors argue, "students in online discussions can engage in deep and meaningful learning, even when there is no facilitator interaction" (I can't imagine how that got past the reviewers). The study examined threads that were teacher-initiated, and threads that were student-initiated, looking for indicators of cognitive presence such as problem-solving activity and peer support. One wonders what such a methodology would yield over thousands upon thousands of threads at Yahoo, Slashdot, Metafilter, and the rest. Would you still say "successful inquiries are possible without teacher or facilitator interactions (only?) if learning environments are designed to support students being interactive and the students have motivation, regulatory skills and a willingness to collaborate with their peers."
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