Paper Title
Exploring Dialogical and Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Thai International Education
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to explore dialogic and trialogical education (Aloni, 2014: Paavola, & Hakkarainen, 2005) through the classroom experiences of teachers and Limited English Proficient (LEP) students as they engaged academic content using Freirian problem-posing (1970) combined with Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) at a Thai International College. The concerns were threefold: (1) To move beyond the traditional acquisition model/metaphor (AM) for interlanguage development; (2) to bridge the gap between theory and practice by using the participation metaphor (PM) and the knowledge-creation metaphor (KCM) to improve learning and development by focusing on the process of participation; and (3) to bridge the gap between learning and assessment. Two teachers as researchers, or �insiders� used an interdisciplinary approach to research including Educational Ethnography (classroom observation), Exploratory Practice (language learner based principles), and Hermeneutic Phenomenology (interpretation and meaning) to collect data during classroom activities using CSCL. Classroom activities were based on combined dialogic and trialogical principles, and Lev Vygotsky�s Dynamic Assessment (DA) (1978), which joined group discussions, student blogging, and teacher scaffolding. Two classes were used to collect data; Ten (10) first year education students explored their classroom experiences, and an introduction psychology class recorded their classroom activities (writing & discussions). Results were rich in student participation and discourse production, and indicated that students were able to appropriate their own voices, and �others� while using CSCL (www.blogger.com & www.plusgoogle.com). The implications suggest that combined dialogical and trialogical education increases student participation and student-teacher intersubjectivity. LEP learners and their teachers can benefit by focusing on participation and knowledge-creation metaphors in a Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning environment.
Keywords- Dialogical, Problem-posing, Trialogical, Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL)