Evaluating online conversation in an asynchronous learning environment: An application of Grice's cooperative principle

This study goes beyond student perceptions of online learning experiences, satisfaction, and attitudes, to examine the actual participation and dynamics that occur in online discussions and their relationship to student learning outcomes. A content analysis approach was used to investigate students' socio-cognitive processes in an online graduate-level English grammar class. Student postings were rated using a newly developed Gricean Cooperative Principle scoring rubric to assess student participation as determined by four maxims: Quantity, Quality, Relevance, and Manner. Results suggest that Quality is the most important criterion for predicting direct responses to a posting. Students with high average Quality scores also received higher final course grades than did their counterparts. In addition, students with high scores for Manner earned higher conference grades than did their counterparts.