Fishbowl Conversation Online

Abstract

Collaborative learning in an online learning environment is an educational approach which enables the learner to socially interact and communicate with their peers and instructors in the process of knowledge construction. Recent advancement and usage of video conferencing technologies in an online learning environment have changed the idea of being an instructional tool to something more where knowledge creation is made possible among the learners. Webdialogos is one such online tool which attempts knowledge construction in a collaborative learning activity by bringing in together video conference and fishbowl discussion strategy. Before developing Webdialogos, a review of the existing online tools with video conference capability was carefully done to identify the suitability for fishbowl discussion strategy. A live prototype of developed Webdialogos was organized among the students who were practicing fishbowl discussion in the classroom, to understand whether the tool fulfills the objective of social knowledge creation in a digital space. So Webdialogos is a novel online tool supporting collaborative learning activity in a technology-enhanced learning environment such that it transforms the fishbowl discussion into a digital space with the use of video conferencing technology.