Negotiation of meaning in construction of knowledge in online forum discussions

Abstract

Online forum discussion (OLFD) has brought immense benefit which makes it highly desirable as a platform to assist interaction and learning. Opinions and ideas shared in the discussions enhance learners’ knowledge about the subject-matter and help them to be more critical in their thinking. This research is focused on (1) determining negotiation of meaning (NOM) strategies employed by the research participants, (2) identifying of strategies used in supporting construction of knowledge (COK) and (3) ascertaining the devices used in the OLFD that indicate cohesion and coherence in the OLFD. Participants for this study were in-service English Language primary school teachers enrolled in a continuous professional development certificate course at an English Language Teachers’ Training Centre (ELTC). The courses involved online modules that complement face-to-face interactions. Six groups of teachers from all over Malaysia were involved in the study with each group having nine to twenty participants. Data were gathered from authentic OLFD threads that occurred during the course. Textual analysis was conducted to gather answers for the research questions. It was found that NOM strategies were employed by the course participants during the OLFD. Seven out of the twelve NOM strategies listed in Patterson and Trabaldo’s (2006) model with added functions of NOM by Akayoglun and Altun (2009) were identified in this study. Besides that, a number of devices used for cohesion and coherence which are pertinent for NOM and COK were also found in the OLFD. Essentially, the study provides insights into how COK actually occurs with the support of NOM strategies together with cohesive and coherent devices in an authentic OLFD scenario. Thus, the findings of this research provide educators and researchers, implementing the OLFD as a teaching tool, the necessary understanding that would improve success in fostering NOM that supports COK.