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Publication Date

2013

Document Type

Honors Project

Department

Engineering

Keywords

Engineering-Study and teaching (Higher), Learning, Web-based instruction, Knowledge management, Electronic discussion groups, Engineering education, Discourse, Knowledge building, Online collaboration, Community knowledge, Collective responsibility, Idea improvement, Design of learning environment

Abstract

This thesis reports on the development of a methodology for analyzing knowledge building discourse and reports the analysis of an online discourse from an undergraduate engineering course using this methodology. The study indicates that some designed features of the learning environment have a positive impact on the discourse. This discourse methodology demonstrates some effectiveness in analyzing the knowledge building process in terms of the distributions and dynamics of student contribution as well as its relation to the designed features of the learning environment.

Language

English

Comments

57 p. : ill. (some col.) Honors project-Smith College, 2013. Includes bibliographical references (p. 53-54)

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