Comparing Social Knowledge Construction of College English Language Learners in Groups Characterized by Facilitative and Directive Other-Regulation: A Case Study

Many studies have explored the role of regulation of learning in supporting social knowledge construction. Other-regulation is a common regulation type in collaborative learning. However, few studies have examined learners` social knowledge construction in other-regulation groups. This study attempts to provide a new lens to understand the role of regulation of learning in supporting social knowledge construction and broaden our knowledge about two forms of other-regulation within groups. Toward that end, this study compares social knowledge construction in groups characterized by facilitative and directive other-regulation. The two case groups of four in this study were selected from a larger sample (N=22). Content analysis and sequential analysis were used to analyze the online chat log collected from two groups. The comparison was made in terms of the frequency and behaviour pattern of social knowledge construction between the two groups. Qualitative analysis was adopted to explore the interrelation between social knowledge construction and two forms of other-regulation. Results indicate that the facilitative other-regulation group engaged in more high-level social knowledge construction and demonstrated more continuous and systematic behaviour patterns. Further qualitative analysis reveals that facilitative other-regulation occurred concurrently with social knowledge construction and played a promoting role in this process. In contrast, directive other-regulation followed social knowledge construction but failed to guide the subsequent knowledge construction moves, ending in impeding the ongoing of social knowledge construction smoothly.