Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions

Samuli Laato; Mari Murtonen

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-45697-9_21

Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions

Samuli Laato, Mari Murtonen

Education

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Online courses often select asynchronous tools for teamwork as it allows temporal freedom for students who might come from different time zones or have busy schedules. These solutions work better with larger groups, where due to the quantity of participants, it is easier to get replies faster. In this study, we investigate challenges that arise in asynchronous discussions with small group (4–5 participants). Empirical data was collected from the UNIPS pedagogical employee training online course Becoming a Teacher and its teamwork period, where Google Docs was used as a discussion platform by 42 students. We observed that (1) discussion activity peaked around deadlines (2) students often came online in vain as their team members had not replied yet and (3) when students were online simultaneously, they were not able to take advantage of this by engaging in synchronous communication. As solutions, we propose improving the synchrony of the communication via more structured instructions and increasing the affordances of the communication tools.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Trends and Innovations in Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 3, , WorldCIST 2020
Editors	Álvaro Rocha, Hojjat Adeli, Luís Paulo Reis, Sandra Costanzo, Irena Orovic, Fernando Moreira
Publisher	Springer
Pages	215-224
Number of pages	10
ISBN (Print)	978-3-030-45696-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45697-9_21
Publication status	Published - 2020
Publication type	A4 Article in conference proceedings
Event	8th World Conference on Information Systems and Technologies, WorldCIST 2020 - Budva, Montenegro Duration: 7 Apr 2020 → 10 Apr 2020

Publication series

Name	Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing
Volume	1161 AISC
ISSN (Print)	2194-5357
ISSN (Electronic)	2194-5365

Conference

Conference	8th World Conference on Information Systems and Technologies, WorldCIST 2020
Country/Territory	Montenegro
City	Budva
Period	7/04/20 → 10/04/20

Keywords

Asynchronous discussions
Communication tools
Google Docs
Online courses

Publication forum classification

Publication forum level 1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Control and Systems Engineering
General Computer Science

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-030-45697-9_21

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/Publication/47321830

Cite this

Laato, S., & Murtonen, M. (2020). Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions. In Á. Rocha, H. Adeli, L. P. Reis, S. Costanzo, I. Orovic, & F. Moreira (Eds.), Trends and Innovations in Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 3, , WorldCIST 2020 (pp. 215-224). (Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing; Vol. 1161 AISC). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45697-9_21

Laato, Samuli ; Murtonen, Mari. / Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions. Trends and Innovations in Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 3, , WorldCIST 2020. editor / Álvaro Rocha ; Hojjat Adeli ; Luís Paulo Reis ; Sandra Costanzo ; Irena Orovic ; Fernando Moreira. Springer, 2020. pp. 215-224 (Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing).

@inproceedings{1322d6b3ac9145d79fc77f8b670e1b09,

title = "Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions",

abstract = "Online courses often select asynchronous tools for teamwork as it allows temporal freedom for students who might come from different time zones or have busy schedules. These solutions work better with larger groups, where due to the quantity of participants, it is easier to get replies faster. In this study, we investigate challenges that arise in asynchronous discussions with small group (4–5 participants). Empirical data was collected from the UNIPS pedagogical employee training online course Becoming a Teacher and its teamwork period, where Google Docs was used as a discussion platform by 42 students. We observed that (1) discussion activity peaked around deadlines (2) students often came online in vain as their team members had not replied yet and (3) when students were online simultaneously, they were not able to take advantage of this by engaging in synchronous communication. As solutions, we propose improving the synchrony of the communication via more structured instructions and increasing the affordances of the communication tools.",

keywords = "Asynchronous discussions, Communication tools, Google Docs, Online courses",

author = "Samuli Laato and Mari Murtonen",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.; 8th World Conference on Information Systems and Technologies, WorldCIST 2020 ; Conference date: 07-04-2020 Through 10-04-2020",

year = "2020",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-030-45697-9_21",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-3-030-45696-2",

series = "Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing",

publisher = "Springer",

pages = "215--224",

editor = "{\'A}lvaro Rocha and Hojjat Adeli and Reis, {Lu{\'i}s Paulo} and Sandra Costanzo and Irena Orovic and Fernando Moreira",

booktitle = "Trends and Innovations in Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 3, , WorldCIST 2020",

}

Laato, S & Murtonen, M 2020, Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions. in Á Rocha, H Adeli, LP Reis, S Costanzo, I Orovic & F Moreira (eds), Trends and Innovations in Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 3, , WorldCIST 2020. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol. 1161 AISC, Springer, pp. 215-224, 8th World Conference on Information Systems and Technologies, WorldCIST 2020, Budva, Montenegro, 7/04/20. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45697-9_21

Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions. / Laato, Samuli; Murtonen, Mari.
Trends and Innovations in Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 3, , WorldCIST 2020. ed. / Álvaro Rocha; Hojjat Adeli; Luís Paulo Reis; Sandra Costanzo; Irena Orovic; Fernando Moreira. Springer, 2020. p. 215-224 (Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing; Vol. 1161 AISC).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions

AU - Laato, Samuli

AU - Murtonen, Mari

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Online courses often select asynchronous tools for teamwork as it allows temporal freedom for students who might come from different time zones or have busy schedules. These solutions work better with larger groups, where due to the quantity of participants, it is easier to get replies faster. In this study, we investigate challenges that arise in asynchronous discussions with small group (4–5 participants). Empirical data was collected from the UNIPS pedagogical employee training online course Becoming a Teacher and its teamwork period, where Google Docs was used as a discussion platform by 42 students. We observed that (1) discussion activity peaked around deadlines (2) students often came online in vain as their team members had not replied yet and (3) when students were online simultaneously, they were not able to take advantage of this by engaging in synchronous communication. As solutions, we propose improving the synchrony of the communication via more structured instructions and increasing the affordances of the communication tools.

AB - Online courses often select asynchronous tools for teamwork as it allows temporal freedom for students who might come from different time zones or have busy schedules. These solutions work better with larger groups, where due to the quantity of participants, it is easier to get replies faster. In this study, we investigate challenges that arise in asynchronous discussions with small group (4–5 participants). Empirical data was collected from the UNIPS pedagogical employee training online course Becoming a Teacher and its teamwork period, where Google Docs was used as a discussion platform by 42 students. We observed that (1) discussion activity peaked around deadlines (2) students often came online in vain as their team members had not replied yet and (3) when students were online simultaneously, they were not able to take advantage of this by engaging in synchronous communication. As solutions, we propose improving the synchrony of the communication via more structured instructions and increasing the affordances of the communication tools.

KW - Asynchronous discussions

KW - Communication tools

KW - Google Docs

KW - Online courses

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-030-45697-9_21

DO - 10.1007/978-3-030-45697-9_21

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:85085468833

SN - 978-3-030-45696-2

T3 - Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing

SP - 215

EP - 224

BT - Trends and Innovations in Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 3, , WorldCIST 2020

A2 - Rocha, Álvaro

A2 - Adeli, Hojjat

A2 - Reis, Luís Paulo

A2 - Costanzo, Sandra

A2 - Orovic, Irena

A2 - Moreira, Fernando

PB - Springer

T2 - 8th World Conference on Information Systems and Technologies, WorldCIST 2020

Y2 - 7 April 2020 through 10 April 2020

ER -

Improving Synchrony in Small Group Asynchronous Online Discussions

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Publication forum classification

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this