A Review on the Classification of Students' Interaction in Online Social Collaborative Problem-based Learning Environment: How can we enhance the students' online interaction?

Abstract

Purpose: The interaction between students during online learning is a growing concern of researchers today. Following the principle of educational psychology, a collaborative learning approach incorporates online learning activities to encourage active interaction and to cultivate problem-solving abilities via students’ discussion. This study aims to identify the classification of students’ interaction in the online social collaborative problem-based learning environment and the strategies to enhance online interaction. Methodology: The literature search was performed using the following electronic databases: Elsevier (ScienceDirect), Springer, Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, SAGE, Emerald Insight, Taylor and Francis, ERIC and Scopus and Wiley Online Library for all papers published between 1989 and 2019. The initial search yielded 129 published articles. After screening and eligibility assessment, 28 articles were included in the review. Main Findings: The types of interaction among students included learner-learner, learner-instructor, learner-content, learner-interface, and learner-self. Less common types of interaction included learner-instruction, learner-environment, and learner-tool. Most researchers focused only on student-student interaction, especially studies between 2017 to 2019. As for improvement strategies, some papers focused on specific learner’s interaction whereas others only outlined the general strategy without specifying the type of learner’s interaction. Applications: Interaction is an important element of online learning. Activities involved in the active interaction among students such as sharing of ideas, discussion, negotiation, and opinion exchanges can improve their knowledge and thinking skills. As the student-centred approach in improving learning experience is gaining popularity, findings from this study can be incorporated into today’s education system to enhance students’ interaction during online learning. Novelty/Originality: The results from this study will contribute to the existing literature on the types of interactions during online learning and strategies to improve students’ interaction. We hope that this study enhances the understanding of the various stakeholders on the importance of effective interaction among students in the online learning environment towards the development of the thinking skills of our students.