Opinions of Pre-service Teachers on Online Discussion Environments

Abstract

Do online discussion environments provide affective opportunities to the pre-service teachers? What are the opinions and the expectations of the pre-service teachers to create more affective online discussion environments that motived the online participation? Departing from these questions, this research aimed to present some suggestions to create more affective online discussion environments that motived the online participation. The study data were collected from focus group interviews of pre-service teachers who have experience on online learning environments and online discussions. The study group consisted of 84 pre-service teachers whose grade were between 3rd year and 4th year. The study had conducted between fall semester of the 2007-2008 academic year and fall semester of the 2010-2011 academic year. Open-ended questions like “what are your reasons to participate or not to online discussion environment”, “what are your expectations from these environments” and “in which environment you would learn better” were asked to participants of focus group interviews. The obtained data were divided to the themes by content analysis. As a result of this study, seven themes were formed. These themes are Participation Forms, Hierarchical Structure, Feedback System, Discussion Topics, Comment Tracking, Expression of Instant Response and Visual Design. Some of the suggestions developed from these themes are online comments would be in visual and audible formats by adding visual and audible materials as well as having done in text format, therefore comment tracing would allow listening and watching, comments would be listed in an appropriate sorting methodology, reply comments would be displayed in different color and with quantity