Interactions in work-groups from an xMoocs

Abstract

Despite the behaviorist approach of the majority of MOOCs, the authors sustain instead a cultural and socio-constructivist framework to plan courses based on a specific learning design aimed at the co-construction of knowledge and concrete artifacts through interaction, mediation of technological tools and precise tasks.

The goal of this research is to observe the impact of a similar design on students' participation and whether there is a relation between type and number of interactions and quality of products. Results of the quali-quantitative analysis carried out on the contributions considered for this study (N=612) show that: a) most of the participants responded positively to the proposed learning activity, b) the quality of the products is not related to the quantity of contributions, but it is related to the type of interactions. Specifically, when groups focus on constructive interactions around the assigned task, the quality of products improve.