Collaborative Online Learning across Cultures: the Role of Teaching and Social Presence
Issued Date
2022-10-01
Resource Type
eISSN
20146418
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85141090501
Journal Title
Qualitative Research in Education
Volume
11
Issue
3
Start Page
298
End Page
326
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Qualitative Research in Education Vol.11 No.3 (2022) , 298-326
Suggested Citation
Grothaus C. Collaborative Online Learning across Cultures: the Role of Teaching and Social Presence. Qualitative Research in Education Vol.11 No.3 (2022) , 298-326. 326. doi:10.17583/qre.10474 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/86939
Title
Collaborative Online Learning across Cultures: the Role of Teaching and Social Presence
Author(s)
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Collaborative online learning (COL) has been associated with positive outcomes, such as critical thinking, shared problem-solving skills, and deep learning. Such outcomes require pedagogies that consider students’ backgrounds, including the cultural context in which they operate. This study reflects upon the role of culture through the lens of the Community of Inquiry Framework (CoI) and the elements of social-and teaching presence. German and Thai students were selected due to cultural differences in values of power distance, collectivism, and femininity. 20 in-depth interviews on students’ experiences with COL were conducted. Findings revealed differences in perceptions of and factors influencing social-and teaching presence across the two samples. German students were hesitant to initiate contact with non-familiar classmates through digital communication tools. The use of the camera overall supported social presence but also affected Thai students negatively, who were more concerned about the judgment, and emotions of classmates. Teaching presence differed as social media and messenger applications were more readily utilized for collaboration in Thai universities. While the presence of the lecturer in break-out rooms increased Thai students' voicing behavior, German students opened up as the lecturer was absent. The possible influence of educational-, national-and cybercultures is being discussed.