Title: Collaborative video blended learning for exercising higher-order thinking - evaluation using community of inquiry framework

Authors: Etsuko Toyoda

Addresses: The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia

Abstract: This paper presents findings from an examination of different learning experiences in students engaged in intercultural learning activities in a collaborative blended learning environment using video sharing, within a university foreign language course. Learning experience in the video collaborative blended learning environment was evaluated using community of inquiry framework, focusing on cognitive presence in students with different cultural backgrounds. It was hypothesised that multicultural experience would enhance cognitive presence, as profound life experience could fuel higher-order thinking. The results of an in-depth analysis of diaries kept by six students (two international students, two local students with Asian background, and two local students with a relatively monocultural background) indicated that while prior intercultural experience of individual students plays a key role, both teaching presence and social presence also affect the exercise of higher-order thinking.

Keywords: communities of inquiry; CoI; collaborative learning; video sharing; blended learning; higher-order thinking; intercultural learning; learning experience; social media; interactive learning environment; cognitive presence; social presence; teaching presence; foreign language courses; higher education; culture.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMILE.2015.070763

International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments, 2015 Vol.3 No.2, pp.126 - 141

Received: 30 Jul 2014
Accepted: 18 Dec 2014

Published online: 24 Jul 2015 *

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