Successive Action Research to Develop the Higher Order Thinking of EFL Learners Through Discussion Forums
Keywords:
discussion forums, blended learning, English as a foreign language (EFL), dynamic assessment, higher order thinkingAbstract
Classrooms of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japan tend to lack learning activities to develop higher order thinking due to the test-oriented practices. The purpose of this successive action research is to explore discussion forums embedded in extracurricular blended learning programs created to develop the higher order thinking of EFL learners at a public high school in Japan, drawing on the construct of mediation from sociocultural theory. In the first program, fifteen participants engaged in online synchronous and asynchronous activities with English as a medium of instruction and communication while being supported by face-to-face sessions conducted in Japanese. Data were collected through three methods: discussion forums to obtain written texts from participants, surveys, and the researchers’ observations. Participants’ interactions posted in discussion forums are transformed into quantitative data using the Interaction Analysis Model. Then, the quantitative data are triangulated with qualitative data derived from surveys and observations. The findings of the trial program showed that participants found collaborative constructivist learning meaningful and exhibited higher order thinking development to varying degrees. However, learner-learner interaction was not so activated as expected. Based on the researcher’s reflection, the second intervention was redesigned and implemented in the cyclical process of successive action research. The last section presents the projected benefits of successive action research and suggestions for EFL educators to make informed decisions about how discussion forums can be effectively used in education.
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