Cognitive Apprenticeship in Computer-Mediated Feedback: Creating a Classroom Environment to Increase Feedback and Learning

• Published in: Journal of educational computing research Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 47 - 65
• Main Authors: Boling, Erica C., Beatty, Jeanine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.01.2010; Baywood Publishing Company, Inc
• Subjects: Advanced Placement Programs; Asynchronous Communication; Blended Learning; Case Studies; Classroom Environment; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Mediated Communication; Discussion Groups; Educational Sociology; English Instruction; English Teachers; Feedback (Response); High School Students; Internet; Interviews; Learning Strategies; Observation; Urban Schools; Writing Processes; Writing Strategies
• ISSN: 0735-6331; 1541-4140
• DOI: 10.2190/EC.43.1.d

This qualitative case study of 1 teacher and 10 students in an Advanced Placement English class explores the role of computer-mediated feedback in the creation of a classroom learning environment that was supported through hybrid learning experiences. Data sources included classroom observations, online conversations, interviews with 10 high school students, and informal conversations with a high school English teacher. Both inductive and deductive analyses, framed using a cognitive apprenticeship model, revealed how asynchronous online discussions can support the development of safe and productive communities where students actively engage in subject matter learning. The study reveals how online discussion forums can provide an excellent medium where students observe models of writing, engage in the writing process, and observe, reflect upon, and discover expert strategies in context. This study illustrates how both the quantity and quality of computer-mediated feedback increased over time, resulting in students learning not only from their teacher but from each other.