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Title:	Contextual Factors Mediating Participation In An Online Forum: A Case Study
Authors:	Sadha Nair Ramachandran Nair (P33306)
Supervisor:	Siti Hamin Stapa, Assoc. Prof Dr.
Keywords:	Contextual Factors Mediating Participation Factors Mediating Participation In An Online Forum Mediating Participation In An Online Forum Electronic discussion groups
Issue Date:	Sep-2013
Description:	This study examines distance learners’ participation in the online discussion forum (OLF). It draws on a sociocultural perspective encompassing Wenger’s, Vygotsky’s and Bakhtin’s theories that strongly advocate both learning for knowledge and language learning as processes of social interaction. The main aim of the research is to understand how contextual factors mediate distance learners’ participation in the OLF. The participants of the study are adult ESL learners enrolled in a distance learning institution that employs a blended learning pedagogy. Multiple sources of information comprising semi-structured interview, text-based interview, online discussion transcripts, informal chats and course related documents were used for data collection purposes. Data was analysed using the constant comparative method. Findings of the study revealed that participation in the OLF was the outcome of the interplay of various contextual factors associated with self, peers and tutor. It emerged as a result of the dialogic interaction that learners had with communities of practice (CoPs) within the immediate contexts of their society, institution and course. Knowledge and skills appropriated by learners through this dialogic interaction were transformed into their individual OLF texts through mediated text production practices. These mediated practices comprised texts, task, community and the self. The distance learners found participating in the OLF beneficial to them in terms of completing the course assignment task, understanding the course content and enhancing their English language competency. The dialogic engagement with the CoPs enabled learners to take control of the process of writing and learning through their growing competence in using mediation tools. This whole process steered distance learners towards fruitful learning and subsequently allowed them to achieve their zones of proximal development. The study proposes a model that can be adopted and adapted to study participation in the OLF and other similar asynchronous platforms. In addition, the insights gleaned from the findings disclose some important pedagogical implications for learners, educators, researchers and policy planners.,PhD
Pages:	264
Call Number:	ZA4480 .S234 2013
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan

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