Abstract :
This study examined how message-response exchanges produced in the interactions
between active learners only, reflective learners only, active-reflective
learners and reflective-active learners affected how often active versus reflective
learners posted rebuttals to arguments and challenges across four types of
exchanges that believed to promote critical discourse (argument–challenge,
challenge–counterchallenge, challenge–explain, challenge–evidence) in
computer-supported collaborative argumentation (CSCA). This study found
that the exchanges between reflective learners produced 44% more responses
than in the exchanges between active learners (ES = +0.17). The reflective–
reflective exchanges produced 47% more responses than the active–reflective
exchanges (ES = +0.18). These results suggest that groups with reflective
learners only are likely to produce more critical discourse than groups with
active learners only, and the ratio of active–reflective learners within a group
can potentially influence overall group performance. These findings illustrate
how specific traits of the learner can affect discourse processes in CSCA and
provide insights into process-oriented strategies and tools for structuring dialogue
and promoting critical inquiry in online discussions.
