A Study Of Knowledge Construction Model Through Online Interaction In An Informal English Learning Community

As a new way to support learning, online learning community has gained much attention in recent years. Many research projects on learners’ interactive process in formal learning communities have been conducted. However, little is known about knowledge construction through learners’online interaction in informal learning communities. The latter, according to many researchers, should be the trend of learning in the new life-long learning era. In China, QQ net group (a virtue community) has become popular, especially among the younger learners, which provides a good platform for the current research.Based on social constructivism and collaborative learning theory, an online TOEFL learning community (QQ group) is chosen as the target community. The community consists of135members. Members of the community are required to communicate completely in English. The researcher, as a participative observer, has collected a large quantity of data during the two-month interaction to answer three research questions:1. What types of knowledge construction can be identified from online interaction of the informal learning community?2. How do these types of knowledge construction develop?3. What is the interaction model?Content analysis method is adapted to the analysis of learners’ online interaction and knowledge construction. According to the data analysis, two types of knowledge construction are highlighted in learners’interaction process. One is linguistic knowledge construction, focusing on the construction of vocabulary, grammar and discourse. The other is content-based knowledge construction, focusing on the exploration of language learning strategy, social issues discussion, profession related information sharing, and net working. Five core members including four clerks and one student are identified to have promoted group interaction. Additionally, core-core and core-periphery subgroups emerge, influencing those peripheral ones and facilitating their participation and commitment to group activities. Interestingly, though, dialogue is the mainstream and the interaction scenario with more than eight members has never been observed. The study may make theoretical and practical contributions to understanding the construction process of knowledge among informal learning communities and the ways of promoting online communities for informal language learning, or even citizens’ lifelong learning.