This document outlines research on the relationship between a tutor's intervention and students' critical thinking in online forums. It describes two variables being studied: (1) the tutor's intervention, categorized based on 11 indicators, and (2) students' collaborative critical thinking. It details the procedures, which involved coding forum messages chronologically and measuring intercoder reliability. Results found associations over 0.4 between certain tutor tasks and higher levels of student critical thinking. Conclusions recommend structuring triggering messages carefully and asking for synthesis to lead discussions to higher cognitive levels.

1. Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 1 28-09-2011

2. Research goals Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 2 Association – types & levels 28-09-2011

3. The context and the research material Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 3 28-09-2011

4. Variable 1- The tutor’s intervention Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 4 11 indicators of the tutor’s intervention 28-09-2011

5. Variable 1- Thetutor’s intervention Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 5 28-09-2011

6. Variable 2 - collaborative critical thing Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 6 28-09-2011

7. Unitsofanalysis Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 7 28-09-2011

8. Procedures(1) Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 8 The messages were kept in their chronological order All the categories were progressively refined A stable protocol established The complete sequences of the 40 forums were delivered to two intercoders for each variable Discussions with intercoders 28-09-2011

9. Procedures (2) Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 9 Intercoding stability measured with Cohen’s Kappa A Cramer’s V post-test to assess the effect of the tutor’s posts on the highest levels of collaborative critical thinking 28-09-2011

10. The tutor’s tasks & the students highest levels of critical thinking Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 10 Cramer’s V Associations >0.400 28-09-2011

11. Conclusions & Suggestions (1) Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 11 The results provide some clues on how the tutors should structure the triggering messages. The students value and respond positively to the tutor’s teaching and organizingtasks. The tutors must pay careful attention: to the discussion progression, to the flow of ideas from one post to another, To the core messages, since new developments tend to arise around them. 28-09-2011

12. Conclusions & Suggestions (2) Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 12 The students value the tutor’s presence throughout the dialogue, particularly in the integration phase. The tutor must explicitly ask for partial or comprehensive synthesis Needed: a taxonomy of open questions which lead the dialogue to its highest cognitive levels (already suggested: Jorge, 2011) The forum technological aspects can be improved (self-regulation devices). 28-09-2011

13. Idalina Jorge Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 13 ThankYou! 28-09-2011

14. Idalina Jorge Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 14 ThankYou! 28-09-2011

15. Idalina Jorge - ifjorge@ie.ul.pt 28-09-2011 15