Effects of Instructor’s Discussion Facilitation Strategies and Group Composition on Academic Achievement and Satisfaction in Web-based Discussion for Collegiate

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the instructor's discussion facilitation strategies and group composition on academic achievement and satisfaction in a web-based argumentation learning environment, which requires the learner to actively participate in argumentation. The experimental study was conducted with 89 university students. Instruments were developed and used to assess the effects of group composition based on ability level, using pretests and post-tests for academic achievement, as well as a satisfaction test. The gathered data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. There was no significant interaction effect between the instructor's discussion facilitation strategies and group composition regarding academic achievement in web-based argumentation. However, there was a significant difference in academic achievement between groups provided with a task-oriented discussion facilitation strategy and groups provided with a motivational discussion facilitation strategy in web-based argumentation. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant interaction effect between the instructor's discussion facilitation strategies and group composition regarding satisfaction in web-based argumentation. Additionally, there was no significant difference in satisfaction between groups provided with a task-oriented discussion facilitation strategy and the group provided with a motivational discussion facilitation strategy in web-based argumentation. However, there was a significant difference in satisfaction between the high-low group composition and the middle-middle group composition in web-based argumentation.