The Comparison of Discourse Patterns in Synchronous Online versus F2F Groups in Problem Solving Process

It was aimed to compare discourse patterns that revealed in the process of group based mathematical problem solving process among online and face-to-face discussion groups. This study involved 27 pre-service teachers enrolled in a Basic Mathematics-II course and they were divided into two groups: Synchronous Online (SO, n=12) and Face-to-Face (F2F, n=15). Students in each group were required to solve four ill-structured problems collaboratively under problem solving sessions over a six-week period. Data was collected through video recordings of online and audio recordings of face-to-face discussions. Transcripts from SO and F2F discussions were analyzed using discourse analysis method via Discourse Identification Form (DIF) which was developed by researcher. For analyzing discourses in both groups MAXQDA 10 software was used. Based on both face-to-face and online discussion transcripts much more discourses were revealed for F2F groups than SO one. Given the structural phases of discourses it is possible to say that online groups have more active role to contributing the group and they are more task oriented than face-to-face ones