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Incorporating online discussions into face-to-face classroom learning
article abstract
This paper discusses an innovative blended learning strategy that incorporates online discussion in both in-class face-to-face and off-classroom settings. Online discussion in a face-to-face class is compared with its two counterparts, off-class online discussion as well as in-class, face-to-face oral discussion, to examine the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed strategy. By integrating online discussion into the flow of the classroom, learners are given dedicated time to foster a habit of critical thinking, reflection, and articulating these online, which can subsequently seed further in-class oral discussions, and off-class online discussions. It is found that in-class, online discussion can provide a wider spectrum of discussion perspectives, equalize participation in discussion, and promote cognitive thinking skills and in-depth information processing. However, the lack of face-to-face interactions and the need for sufficient time to do online postings pose challenges in implementing online discussion for face-to-face classroom learning.
CITATION: Chen, W., & Looi, C.-K. (2007). Incorporating online discussion in face-to-face classroom learning: A new blended learning approach. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.1255