Internet Learning Volume 3, Number 2, Fall 2014 | Page 77

Internet Learning
C. Conversational Influences
To understand conversational influences
on the topicSpread of course
conversations, we implemented an
approach suggested by a prior research
partnership between Pearson Learning
Solutions and Texas Christian University
(Zelenka, 2012). This approach measures
the conversational force of individual contributions
to course discussions by extracting
topics that appear in each response, and
then considers the relationship of these
contributions to topics already introduced
in the conversation. The TCU/Pearson research
team proposed that there are four
levels of discussion thread contribution that
impact topicSpread.
Levels of Topic Spread:
1. Participation: A student or instructor
response does not cover topics
2. relevant to the discussion but merely
states agreement or disagreement or
offers social conversation.
3. Explanation: A response covers topics
that have already been
4. introduced in a thread.
5. Elaboration: A response provides additional
closely-related topics
6. about topics already introduced in
a particular top-level threaded response.
7. Expansion: A response connects topics
already introduced in the
8. discussion to distantly-related topics.
These codes are assumed to form an
ordered hierarchy, with expansion representing
the highest level of topicSpread.
As we read the data more deeply,
we noted a number of common speech acts
that seemed to be impacting the levels of
knowledgeActivity and topicSpread across
conversations in the learning community.
One of these was a Topic Spread Request, in
which a discussant would ask another person
to Explain, Elaborate, or Expand upon
some topic. If the response to such a spread-
Request was coded for topicSpread at the
same level, we would consider the request
to have been met.
Levels of Topic Spread Request:
1. Explanation: A discussant requests
an explanation of topics that have already
been introduced in a thread.
2. Elaboration: A discussant requests a
response containing additional closely-related
topics about topics already
introduced in a particular top-level
threaded response.
3. Expansion: A discussant requests a
response that will connect topics already
introduced in the discussion to
more distantly-related topics.
The Columbia team had designed
and written the courses and read the assigned
readings. They therefore acted as our
content experts when it came to applying
topicSpread scores for our entire response
set.
It should be noted that topicSpread
is not intended as a way of valuing contributions,
beyond the observation of whether
new concepts are introduced, and how
closely or distantly related they are to assigned
content resources and prior discussion.
For example, a topicSpread of Level 4/
Expand might correspond with the use of
an analogy that clarifies a course concept,
or it could signal a distracting departure
from relevant topics. Determining concept
relevance is a significant area for ongoing
research.
We added the following conversational
moves in addition to topicSpread and
spreadRequest:
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