Online Interactions: Mobile Text-Chat as an Educational Pedagogic Tool.

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Communication Studies
• Online Learning

Background:

• COVID-19 lockdowns revealed the need for effective mass education strategies using everyday technologies.
• Existing educational communication models often do not account for the unique features of synchronous online text.
• Understanding mobile text communication is crucial for adapting educational practices to digital environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the key features of mobile text communication in an online educational context.
• To identify interaction patterns in synchronous text-based discussions among adult learners.
• To explore the affordances of these patterns for educational communication and pedagogical design.

Main Methods:

• Employed Conversation Analysis (CA) to study online textual communication.
• Analyzed book discussions from an online reading program involving adult students.
• Identified and categorized three distinct interaction patterns: single linear, intertwined, and trunk-branch conversations.

Main Results:

• Synchronous text communication exhibits unique features, including short exchanges and varied turn-taking.
• Observed interaction patterns differ significantly from traditional, elaborated school discourse.
• The 'disorder' and 'messiness' of interactions were identified as potential educational opportunities.

Conclusions:

• Mobile text communication possesses distinct characteristics that can be harnessed for learning.
• Pedagogic design should acknowledge and utilize the unique features of synchronous text interactions.
• These findings suggest new avenues for developing flexible and engaging online learning environments.