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Classroom interaction is a pivotal aspect of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). The rise of online education, bolstered by advancement in information technology, has sparked renewed interest in this field. Although many studies have centered on online classroom interaction, there remains a lack of the literature on direct comparison between online and offline classroom utterances. Addressing this issue, our study first introduces an adapted version of the Flanders Interaction Analysis System (FIAS) named the FIAS for Online and Offline Comparative Purposes. This modified system provides equivalent categories tailored for assessing interactions between the two settings. After pilot tests and preliminary interviews, observations were made of two groups of 41 students during two class hours respectively in online and offline environments. Detailed transcripts of these observations were then analyzed. The results indicated that there were no universal interaction patterns across the two platforms, but three significant findings were reported. Firstly, teachers remain key in facilitating interaction in online classes and students' adaptability to the virtual setting affects their performance. Secondly, diversified modes of interaction in virtual settings can fire participation enthusiasm among quieter students, bridging the gap of different personalities and language proficiency levels. Lastly, interviews with teachers and selected participants highlight the influence of peer motivation, language proficiency, activity design etc. The study offers practical suggestions for blended design of second language classes with the aspiration that these insights will be applicable across a variety of disciplines.
Zhao et al. (Mon,) studied this question.