Analysis of Feedback processes in Online Group Interaction: a methodological model

The aim of this article is to present a methodological model to analyze students' group interaction to improve their essays in online learning environments, based on asynchronous and written communication. In these environments teacher and student scaffolds for discussion are essential to promote interaction. One of these scaffolds can be the feedback. Research on feedback processes has predominantly focused on feedback design rather than on how students utilize feedback to improve learning. This methodological model fills this gap contributing to analyse the implementation of the feedback processes while students discuss collaboratively in a specific case of writing assignments. A review of different methodological models was carried out to define a framework adjusted to the analysis of the relationship of written and asynchronous group interaction, and students' activity and changes incorporated into the final text. The model proposed includes the following dimensions: 1) student participation 2) nature of student learning and 3) quality of student learning. The main contribution of this article is to present the methodological model and also to ascertain the model's operativity regarding how students incorporate such feedback into their essays.