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The Effect of Online Collaboration on Adolescent Sense of Community in Eighth-Grade Physical Science

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Abstract

Using a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest/posttest control group design, the researchers examined the effects of online collaborative learning on eighth-grade student’s sense of community in a physical science class. For a 9-week period, students in the control group participated in collaborative activities in a face-to-face learning environment, whereas students in the experimental group participated in online collaborative activities using the Edmodo educational platform in a hybrid learning environment. Students completed the Classroom Community Scale survey as a pretest and posttest. Results indicated that the students who participated in the face-to-face classroom had higher overall sense of community and learning community than students who participated in collaborative activities in the online environment. Results and implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Virginia International University, 3957 Pender Drive, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA

    Jillian L. Wendt

  2. School of Education, Liberty University, 1971 University Boulevard, Lynchburg, VA, 24515, USA

    Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw

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  1. Jillian L. Wendt
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  2. Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw
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Correspondence to Jillian L. Wendt.

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Wendt, J.L., Rockinson-Szapkiw, A.J. The Effect of Online Collaboration on Adolescent Sense of Community in Eighth-Grade Physical Science. J Sci Educ Technol 24, 671–683 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-015-9556-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-015-9556-6

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