Influence of group configuration on online discourse writing

• Analyzed three group configurations.
• A mixed method study of 25 online courses and 22 interviewees.
• Revealed true writing loads and opinions of note writing relating to group configuration.
• Provided recommendations for enhancing online subgroup discourse.
• Emphasized fostering strengths and circumvent weaknesses of online subgroup discourse.

This study examines the impact of different strategies for grouping students in online, discourse-intensive distance education courses. The mixed methods research focused on note writing productivity (based on 366 participants in 25 classes) and participants' perceptions (12 graduate students and 10 instructors) relating to three different class configurations (large whole class, small whole class, large class divided into subgroups). Each configuration exhibited advantages and disadvantages in terms of supporting note writing, however, the data analyses suggested that the advantages for writing in subgroups outweighed those of the other two conditions. Splitting larger classes into smaller subgroups appears to reduce information overload and encourages more focused, in-depth discussions. The research concludes with a list of pedagogical recommendations and suggests new software features that may help learning within specific group configurations. This study may have implications for both practitioners and researchers who wish to promote more fruitful online discussions.