Discussion
The analysis of collaborative processes and the interaction between participants
shown here indicate that students were fully engaged in the discussion related
to the coverage of Genetically Modified Organisms in the media. They answered
the questions posed at the beginning and produced the collaborative report at
the end of the activity. Students carried out this activity by jointly constructing
their knowledge during the course of the day, explaining the reasons for the
ideas they put forward, acknowledging and expanding contributions from fellow
students.
Students' contributions to the online seminar contained many references to
different resources including course materials and own personal observations of
science in media such as references to BBC programmes or policy documents.
These messages were marked in the category 'References/examples'. Students
developed their ideas based on one another's contributions/suggestions and it is
clear that contributions are contingent upon what the other students contribute
as shown in the above quote from Sylvia to Lenny. Students drew on each
other's' prior knowledge and cultural models. These references to prior
knowledge and cultural contexts facilitate students' progress and understanding
of the task in hand. The patterns of activity and the content analyses suggest
this is a potentially successful CSCL design (for the successful activity was
recognized by the course team who used this activity for five successive annual
presentations of the course).