Perspective-taking in Structured and Unstructured Online Discussions

This study analyzes the extent to which students using web-based discussion boards show an increase in perspective-taking in structured and unstructured discussions. Messages from fifty-six students enrolled in one of two courses were content analyzed using Jarvela and Hakkinen’s (2003) expansion of Selman’s (1980) perspective-taking coding scheme. There was a significant difference in the level of perspective-taking shown across the three periods of the semester. The level of perspective-taking in structured discussions was significantly correlated with learning. Class leaders showed higher levels of perspective-taking than did other students in the class. The results suggest a relationship between use of higher order perspective-taking and learning, particularly when instructors provide structure for student discussions.