Online collaborative learning has been widely used in the field of education. However, unrelated or off-topic information is often included in online collaborative learning. Furthermore, the content of online discussion is often too shallow or narrow. To achieve productive collaborative learning, this study proposed and validated an automated…

Despite the fact that interaction with others (learners and instructors) impacts online learning engagement (OLE), it remains unclear how and when interaction relates to OLE. By integrating social-cognitive theory with ecological systems theory, we theorise a moderated mediation model that links interaction to OLE by exploring the effects of…

The use of text chat in synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) could help remedy the widely reported lack of active involvement in online language learning. However, the nuances and complexities of learners' text-chat actions warrant further examination. This exploratory study used observational data collected from 40 students in a…

Background: Deep discussions play an important role in students' online learning. However, researchers have largely focused on engaging students in deep discussions in online asynchronous forums. Few studies have investigated how to promote deep discussion via mobile instant messaging (MIM). Objectives: In this study, we applied learning…

Due to the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, a large number of universities had to close their campuses. To maintain teaching and learning during this disruption to the traditional teaching, most universities have adopted online teaching model. The current study aimed at investigating the efficacy of various online teaching modes as well as comparing…

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a quick transition to online learning widely. This study examined the contributions of the peer-to-peer learning interactions within integrated peer-assisted learning clusters to learning among students in universities in Harbin, China, and Akure, Nigeria respectively. The frequency of peer-to-peer interactions…

The community of inquiry contends that meaningful learning occurs in the interaction among the teaching, social, and cognitive presences. Although studies have validated the close relationships among the three presences, the roles of teaching presence indicators in students' social and cognitive presences need to be further explored. Therefore,…

This study used an idiodynamic method to investigate fluctuations in the level of willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC) in an online class. Seven EFL university students took part in four online class sessions (each lasting 20 min). They rated their L2 WTC after each session while watching a video recording of their performance.…

Distance learning is becoming increasingly prevalent. If education is a community affair, how do we digitally design the conditions for learning at a distance for our students? This research examines a distance learning environment within a Master's Degree course created using online discussion forums, based upon the Community of Inquiry model…

Given that online higher education shows no sign of abating during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, understanding the nature of e-learning and e-learners in this particular setting is much needed. However, little is known about the e-learning approaches that international students apply, or about how they experience the process of e-learning.…

This study aimed at exploring the level, preference, and use of communication skills among undergraduate students in an online EFL learning context and to examine whether there are significant differences according to their gender and mode of study. A survey method was applied through quantitative data collection. For this purpose, a questionnaire…

The 2019/2020 academic year started well with no anticipation of what was in store for the second semester and how the year would end. New students were welcomed on campus and included international students and international faculty members. It was business as usual, a beautiful and colorful fall semester that transitioned into a cold winter…

The development of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has proceeded through three generations, and in all three, online discussions have been considered a critical component. Although discussions in MOOCs have the potential to promote learning, instructors have faced challenges facilitating learners' knowledge inquiry, construction, and…

Feedback practices for students' speaking activities in an online environment are very different from those on-site. This study investigated online feedback practices for speaking skills in a Sino-UK joint-venture university, as well as teachers and students' perceptions of the practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four…

Online discourse is widely used in diverse contexts of learning and professional training, but superficial interactions and digression often occur. In the face of these problems and the large-scale unstructured text data, the traditional way of learning analytics has been challenged in terms of providing timely intervention and feedback. In this…