An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Coaching on Learner-Led Synchronous Discussion

Introduction

Discussion forums might be considered a universal component of online learning courses. Discussion forums are used to engage learners with each other, the content, and the instructor. The discussion forum is used for learners to exchange ideas, critique ideas, challenge assumptions, and exhibit critical and reflective thinking. Through discussion, particularly synchronous discussion, learners can reason together, offer assistance in understanding the complexity of issues, and develop a common understanding of the issues presented in the course (Baran & Correia, 2009). Synchronous discussion is conducted in real-time, offering learners the opportunity to engage in dialogic interaction simulating in-person negotiation of ideas leading to local knowledge construction (Chen et al., 2009). Dialogue is often seen as a common pedagogical approach that prompts students to participate in synchronous discussions and the idea-exchanging process. Students feel motivated to complete the learning task when given the opportunity to freely discuss the ideas in relation to the learning content with minimal or no instructor participation and intervention (Brisbin, 2015). Burgess (2009) indicated that high levels of engagement and critical thinking were observed when students participated in instructor-facilitated online discussions. Although the learners’ participation is important for group discourse, the dialogue itself does not necessarily lead to deep-level learning (Baran & Correia, 2009). Certain content expertise is required for the combination of information and ideas as well as a critical reflection during group discussion (Garrison, 2011). Thus, advancing from surface-level synchronous discussions to more in-depth cognitive learning can be challenging for the learners (Stein et al., 2007).

To address this problem, many faculty as facilitators are guided by the indicators of teaching presence. Teaching presence indicators tend to focus on instructor interventions. However, instructor/moderator control may have negative effects on students’ participation and may lead to an instructor-centered discussion (Rovai, 2007). When instructors take control of teaching presence, learners may not develop the needed skills to chat, exchange information, or solve problems by themselves during the discussion (Garrison & Vaughan, 2007; Wanstreet & Stein, 2011).

The instructional dilemma is how to return control over discussions to the learners and support the idea of learner-led discussions with minimal involvement of the instructor. Learner-led discussions can become places for knowledge creation rather than knowledge reproduction. Learner-led discussions recognize that dialogue is a powerful tool for shaping thinking and those learners can and should take the responsibility for building knowledge that contributes to a field of study. In this study, we coach learners to take responsibility for teaching presence that respects the experiences that learners bring to the classroom, that honors the creativity inherent in every learner, and that creates an equal relationship between instructor and learner. Learners may need coaching on how to conduct synchronous discussions by themselves and achieve high levels of teaching presence. However, the literature on how learners can improve their skills in teaching presence in synchronous educational discussions is sparse (Stein et al., 2013; Griffiths, 2015).

Previous research indicates that coaching for teaching presence over time has been shown to increase the frequency of higher-order cognitive presence for members of a coached group compared to members of an un-coached group (Stein et al., 2013). However, it is unknown which teaching presence indicators can be enhanced through a coaching process and which indicators are resistant to coaching interventions. This chapter will explore the effect of coaching on teaching presence within synchronous discussions and which coaching indicators are resistant to coaching.