How does students' motivation relate to peer-moderated online interactions?

Abstract

Motivation has been recognized as a crucial factor that influences learning success. However, little research as addressed students' motivation in peer-moderated online interactions. This study conducted a content analysis of online discussions to discover how students' motivation relates with their interaction and knowledge construction in peer-moderated online discussions. The results indicate that intrinsic motivation was significantly correlated with students' elaboration processes and knowledge transfer. However, no significant correlation was observed between intrinsic motivation and students' moderation behaviors. The findings suggest that instructional designers and teachers in online classes should integrate strategies to promote students' motivation, and more importantly, they should scaffold student moderators to achieve meaningful learning in peer-moderated online discussions.