Dialogue in a distance education physics course

Authors: Paul Gorsky; Avner Caspi; Ricardo Trumper

Source: Open Learning, Volume 19, Number 3, November 2004 , pp. 265-277(13)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

This study investigated the kinds of dialogues utilized by Open University students while studying an intermediate level physics course. Research objectives were twofold: to document what dialogue types, mediated through which resources, were (1) generally utilized by students as they learned; and (2) were specifically utilized by students to overcome conceptual difficulties. It was found that all students initially chose individual study characterized by intrapersonal dialogue. Only when individual study failed did students opt for interpersonal dialogue. This finding conflicts with the assumed importance often ascribed to interpersonal dialogue by some distance education theorists.

Keywords: Distance education; Instructional dialogues; Instructional resources; Study strategies

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/0268051042000280129

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