As online learning grows, we have an exciting opportunity and responsibility to create online discussion structures that promote engaging, generative, and discursive conversations that increase critical thinking and reflection. Organic-style discussions that are similar to classroom conversations increase critical thinking skills and offer a…

Educators learn through reflecting on how power shapes their own practices, expressing their concerns about the constraints they face, and brainstorming solutions to address them. Educators create and adjust their philosophies and practices through reflection on how abstract theories manifest themselves in life. The online discussion format…

In the context of a global pandemic, techniques for remote instruction have become increasingly vital to undergraduate instruction. This essay discusses how synchronous virtual encounters can have a similar pedagogical impact as in-person encounters by outlining specific methods of intercultural learning via Virtual Exchange Pedagogy (VEP), in…

Blending learning environments are being adopted by an increasing number of educational institutions in order to offer flexibility to students. Although, blended synchronous learning environments have been around since early 2000s, there has been little research conducted on students' experiences in these environments, specifically in terms of…

Courses: Organizational Communication, Small Group Communication, Organizational Decision-making, and Communication Technology. Objective: The objectives of this activity are twofold: (1) to engage students in the practice of small-group decision making bounded by temporal, situational, and cognitive constraints; and (2) to demonstrate how these…

Adolescence can be socially challenging. Online and offline social capital are indicators of investments in relationships that may ease this period of growth and influence future social and economic participation. (In this context, offline is a synonym for in-person or face-to-face). This research had three aims: 1) to systematically review…

The purpose of the study was to explore work related WhatsApp groups as knowledge sharing platforms among librarians in selected federal universities in Nigerian. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. A total of 58 librarians who received and filled questionnaire in five federal universities constituted the sample of the study. Data…

Feedback is one of the most essential factors on learning and achievement, whether in traditional or online classroom setup. For feedback to be said to be effective, it must answer three major questions asked by a teacher and/or by a student: Where am I going? (What are the goals?) How am I going? (What progress is being made toward the goal?) And…

This publication seeks to identify a series of considerations and approaches that should inform government decision-making regarding policies and procedures for the formative assessment of students in the context of remote (or hybrid) provision of educational services. Therefore, it is intended to inform and provide inputs for their deliberation…

Task complexity and communication modes are two task design and implementation factors that have been found to affect second language (L2) learners' oral performance. While increasing task complexity and developing tasks according to the features of face-to-face and computer-mediated communication modes can optimise L2 production, few studies…

Peer feedback can enhance learning but may introduce issues like peer pressure and distrust, particularly with professional competencies like teamwork. This jeopardizes the feedback process and skill development crucial for undergraduate students' career preparation. To address this, two approaches are generally used: anonymizing feedback or…

The importance of oral interaction in language learning is well recognised, and this paper examines the factors that hinder English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' active participation in online discussions during Synchronous Online Communication. Using focus groups with 51 Cypriot Greek-speaking students from three tertiary institutions in…

WhatsApp is a powerful tool for L2 learning because of its capacity to promote interaction between teacher and student, as well as among students. Its use has also been shown to support ubiquitous learning. In an attempt to extend language learning beyond the classroom, this study reports on the use of instant messaging through WhatsApp by a group…

In this preliminary study, we investigate distance Chinese language learners' social strategies in three learning contexts: self-directed learning outside synchronous online classes, assessment task completion online, and synchronous online class participation. In doing so, we hope to advance our understanding of what is involved in social…

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…