Group Collaboration

In this research, group collaboration is defined as the process in which group members

work together in an interactive manner to complete a task, and the learning that results

from that process (Gokhale, 1995). Group collaboration in this context was therefore a

highly task-oriented process, mediated by two modes of discussion: face-to-face and

online. An examination of both of these modes indicated that students showed a

tendency to speak L1 in face-to-face discussions, but used English during online

discussions. This will be further noted as we describe these two types of student

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Face-to-face Discussion

Face-to-face responses were recorded during an eight-week period of observation

intended to examine the functions of the student interaction. In this study, a function is

defined as the purpose of a response to an interaction. Interactions were observed taking

place under various circumstances. Students worked collaboratively and cooperatively

in groups of two, three, four, or with the entire group to solve different on-task or

off-task problems in order to complete the assignment, as shown in Table 5.2. Pair

interactions were particularly augmented in face-to-face contexts. Three groups of

students were noted as primarily interacting in groups of two when engaged in actions

such as implementing tasks; accessing online resources; and discussing directions, the

English language, opinion clarifications, computer breakdowns and personal conditions.

However, students rarely conversed in a face-to-face mode when working in groups of

three and four or with the entire group, except to synthesize opinions to produce a group

argument. A range of functions, such as asking for and giving information, suggestions

and opinions, were observed in face-to-face discussion as improving language and

content comprehension, communication, and task management. Although off-task

verbal behaviours sometimes occurred, most face-to-face discussion remained

task-oriented. The on-task verbal responses were categorised according to the revised

Bales’ IPA model (1950) for the purpose of analysing the functions of students’

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systematic method used to analyse the face-to-face interaction processes of a small

group by classifying group on-task behaviour act by act.

In this interactive context, the student face-to-face responses were categorised as having

three main functions: to ask for and give suggestions; to ask for and give opinions; and

to ask for and give information (see Table 5.2). The function category identified as to

ask for and give suggestions referred to verbal behaviours that requested and offered

directions about how to engage in the task (Bales, 1950). In Table 5.2, the responses

intended to ask and demonstrate how to access online resources (#R1), how to translate

words (#R16, # R21), and how to formulate group arguments (#R5, # R6, # R18, #R19)

were also classified as part of this function category, along with discussion about how to

implement the task (#R20) and discussion of directions (#R9).

The function category of asking for and giving opinions corresponded with verbal

acts that requested and offered viewpoints relevant to the task (Bales, 1950).

Responses meant to request, share and clarify opinions (#R11, # R12, # R13), as

well as those that discussed personal propositions, were classified into this category.

In addition, responses intended to offer opinions about formulating a group

argument (#7) were also grouped into this category. This type of face-to-face

discussion allowed students to seek instant help with regard to a brainstorm and to

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The third and final category identified was to ask for and give information; this function

pertained to verbal behaviours that requested and reported factual observations or

experiences (Bales, 1950). This category included responses intended to ask for and

give language-related information, topic-related information, technical information and

personal information. As listed in Table 5.2, discussions about the meaning of the

English text or about English language knowledge (#R2, # R4, #R8, #R14, #R15) were

considered to fall under the category of asking for and giving language-related

information, as were attempts to do English-Chinese translations (#R17) with the help

of web translation machines. This type of face-to-face discussion enabled students to

instantly solve English language questions.

Discussion about reading articles (#R10) and the content or opinions in the members’

posts (#R3) was categorised as having the function of asking for and giving

topic-related information. This kind of face-to-face discussion improved the students’

understanding of the topic and assisted them in further brainstorming. Responses that

shared personal conditions or progress (#R22, #R23) were identified as belonging to the

function category of asking for and giving personal information. Responses intended to

solve computer problems were regarded as corresponding with the function of asking

for and giving technical-related information. Asking for and giving language-related

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information were all categorised as part of the function of enquiring and sharing

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Table 5.2: Analysis of face-to-face interaction functions for an eight-week period of observation

Group Week/Topic Participants Interaction Responses Interaction Functions

1 7/Why CEOs matter?

2  enquire about which forum to access and how to access to it (#R1)

 enquire about the meaning of the discussion question (#R 2)

 ask for & give suggestion

 ask for & give language-related information 2  enquire about the content in other members’ posts (#R 3)

 enquire about the text meaning in other members’ posts (#R4)

 ask for & give topic-related information  ask for & give language-related information 2  enquire about the content in other members’ posts (#R3)

 enquire about the text meaning in other members’ posts (#R4)

 ask for & give topic-related information  ask for & give language-related information 4  invite other members to work out a group argument (#R5)

 enquire how to structure their group argument (#R6)

 give suggestion

 ask for & give suggestion 5  contribute ideas or opinions to compose a group argument (#R7)

 contribute language to compose a group argument (#R8)

 give opinions

 give language-related information 15/A

Science of politics

2  enquire about the meaning of the discussion question (#R2)  enquire about the direction of the discussion (#R9)

 discuss reading articles (#R10)

 enquire about the content in other members’ posts (#R3)  enquire about the text meaning in other members’ posts (#R4)  discuss their own opinions (#R11)

 ask for & give language-related information  ask for & give suggestion

 ask for & give topic-related information  ask for & give topic-related information  ask for & give language-related information  give opinions

4  confirm the member’s position shown in the posts (agree or disagree) (#R12)

 enquire about text meaning in other members’ posts (#R4)  ask members to offer more opinions (#R13)

 ask for and give opinions

 ask for & give language-related information  ask for opinions

2  synthesize opinions for the group argument (#R14)  structure English sentences (#R15)

 give language-related information and give opinions  ask for & give language-related information

2  demonstrate how to post final argument on the forum (#R1)  give suggestion

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Table 5.2 (Continued): Analysis of face-to-face interaction functions for an eight-week period of observation

Group Week/Topic Participants Interaction Responses Interaction Functions

1 17/Tourism &

globalization

2  discuss the assigned articles (#R10)

 enquire about the meaning of the discussion question (#R2)

 ask for & give topic-related information  ask for & give language-related information 2  enquire about the content in other members’ posts (#R3)

 enquire about the text meaning in other members’ posts (#R4)  confirm their position shown in the posts (agree or disagree)

(#R12)

 ask for & give topic-related information  ask for & give language-related information  ask for & give opinions

3  enquire about the content in other members’ posts (#R3)  enquire about the text meaning in other members’ posts (#R4)  discuss the group’s proposition for answering the question (#R6)  synthesize opinions for the group argument (#R14)

 ask for & give topic-related information  ask for & give language-related information  ask for & give suggestion

 give language-related information and give opinions 2 3/M-shaped

society

2  enquire about how to translate words into English (#R16)  work together to do English translation (#R17)

 ask for suggestion &ask for language-related information

 ask for & give language-related information 2  discuss and decide whose opinions to be included in the group

argument (#R18)

 assign someone to synthesize and post group argument (#R 19)

 ask for & give suggestion  give suggestion 10/Developi ng the next generation of Chinese business leaders

2  enquire about which forum to access (#R1)

 demonstrate how to access to the right forum (#R1)  enquire about the meaning of the discussion question (#R2)  enquire about the direction of the discussion (#R9)

 discuss how to engage the task (#R20)

 ask for suggestion  give suggestion

 ask for & give language-related information  ask for & give suggestion

 ask for & give suggestion 2  inform that Chinese translation of discussion question was

provided (#R21)

 enquire about how to submit assignments online (off-task)  demonstrate how to submit assignments online (off-task)

 give suggestion  off-task  off-task 2  enquire about which forum to access (#R1)

 demonstrate how to access to the right forum (#R1)

 ask for suggestion  give suggestion 4  discuss how to distribute group work for group presentation

(off-task)

 off-task

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Table 5.2 (Continued): Analysis of face-to-face interaction functions for an eight-week period of observation

Group Week/Topic Participants Interaction Responses Interaction Functions

2 10/Developi ng the next generation of Chinese business leaders 2  share opinions (#R11)

 compose English sentences with the help of web translation machines (#R17)

 give opinions

 ask for & give language-related information 3  synthesize members’ opinions as a group argument (#R14)

 offer pro and con opinions to add in group argument (#R7)

 give language-related information and give opinions  give opinions

16/Tourism today

2  encourage group members to refresh mind for discussion (#R22)  enquire about the meaning of the discussion question (#R2)  enquire about the direction of the discussion (#R9)

 discuss pro and con opinions (#R11)

 ask for & give personal information

 ask for & give language-related information  ask for & give suggestion

 give opinions 2  ask the spelling of English words (#R17)

 chat about irrelevant websites (food, shopping websites) (off-task)

 ask for & give language-related information  off-task

2  synthesize members’ opinions as a group argument (#R14)  give language-related information and give opinions 3 5/Taiwan’s

hi-tech future

4  discuss the direction of the discussion (#R9)  ask for & give suggestion 2  enquire about which forum to access (#R1)

 enquire about which question to discuss (#R1)

 ask for & give suggestion  ask for & give suggestion 3  enquire about the meaning of the discussion question (#R2)

 enquire about the direction of the discussion (#R9)

 ask for & give language-related information  ask for & give suggestion

2  work out English language problems (#R17)  ask for & give language-related information 3  discuss the direction of the discussion (#R9)  ask for & give suggestion

14/Financial accounting & tax principle

2  enquire about the meaning of the discussion question (#R2)  enquire about the direction of the discussion (#R9)

 ask for & give language-related information  ask for & give suggestion

2  enquire about individual's current progress (#R23)  ask for & give personal information 4  discuss how to organise final argument (#6)  ask for & give suggestion

2  discuss English language questions (#R17)

 discuss other members’ opinions in online posts (#R3)

 ask for & give language-related information  ask for & give topic-related information 2  ask for more opinions (#R13)  ask for opinion

2  discuss other members’ opinions in online posts (#R3)  synthesize opinions for a group argument (#R14)

 ask for & give topic-related information

 give language-related information and give opinion

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An Analysis of Face-to-face Interaction Functions

A frequency analysis (Figure 5.3) shows that the interactions observed mainly

corresponded with the function of asking for and giving information (55%). Within this

function, asking for and giving language-related information accounted for 37% of the

interactions, whereas asking for and giving topic-related information represented 15%

of the interactions. The function of asking for and giving personal information

accounted for only 3% of the total responses. Therefore, it appears that the students

under observation were interacting face-to-face primarily to ask for and to provide

language-related information. Another prevalent interaction function was to ask for and

give suggestions, which comprised 32% of the total responses (122) and represented an

essential function that required students to engage in the task. To ask for and give

opinions was the function related to the fewest number of responses (13%), indicating

that the three groups of students spent the least amount of time exchanging viewpoints

during these face-to-face interactions.

Figure 5.3: Frequency analysis of face-to-face interaction functions

In document Learning English as a Foreign Language in a Blended Mode of Face-to-face and Online Discussions: A Case Study in a University in Taiwan (Page 183-191)