Content Analysis on Students’ Cognitive Achievement in a Micro-module Coupled Discussion Forum
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
ABSTRACT
Online micro-module aided teaching is a rapidly developing pedagogy in the universities worldwide. Thus, studies in evaluating the effectiveness of this pedagogy gained its importance in this field. The present study aims to give insight on how the micro-modules facilitate students’ learning in the context of a compulsory science general education course, “In Dialogue with Nature”, in The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Students are required to read an excerpt of classic text each week and then join an interactive tutorial to discuss the core question related to enduring concerns of human brought up by the text. A set of micro-modules has been produced to supplement basic science knowledge that is essential for understanding the assigned texts, as well as historical and technical background related to the classic. In 2017-18 term 1, the micro-modules set was coupled with an assessment item, an online discussion forum, thereby making the micro-modules compulsory. This study aims to give a comprehensive evaluation of the aforementioned micro-modules aided teaching from both teachers’ and students’ perspectives. The entries in discussion forum are analyzed in two dimensions. First, the quality of students’ attainment of learning outcomes is assessed based on the grading guidelines in this course. Second, student’s cognitive achievement is analyzed according to the Community of Inquiry Framework (Co-I) suggested by Garrison, Anderson and Archer in 2000. On the other hand, students will evaluate the micro-modules by means of an online survey. It is expected that the research will the role of micro-modules in facilitating student’s cognitive achievement. The evaluation results would shed light on the effectiveness of eLearning in general education courses.
KEYWORDS
E-Learning, Content Analysis, Cognitive Achievement