Measuring interaction in asynchronous online learning

Persico, D., Pozzi, F. and Sarti, L. (2010) Monitoring collaborative activities in computer supported collaborative learning, Distance Education, Vol. 31. No. 1, pp. 5-22

This team of Italian researchers have developed a methodology to track ‘participative, social, cognitive and teaching dimensions of the learning process’ in asynchronous, text-based online teaching in a blended learning context.

Comment: A good review of the literature and some interesting suggestions on how to do this kind of analysis in a pragmatic way, such as the tutor classifying and tagging comments when reading. Still looks pretty labour intensive to me, though, for regular online teaching, although useful as a research tool.