Distance learning based on a virtual learning environment (VLE) and using asynchronous computer-mediated conferencing (ACMC) is increasingly used by universities and other providers to support the continuing professional development of educators. Little is known, however, about the effectiveness of such technological approaches and whether they provide an adequate substitute for or even an improvement on classroom-based learning. This paper, based on the CITTI research project funded by the Centre for Distance Education of the University of London, reports on a systematic evaluation of the student interactions within the VLE of the distance learning master’s programme MA Citizenship and History Education offered by the Institute of Education, London. Through the study of a range of modules, the course aims to help students to ‘explore the key concepts that shape teaching and learning about History and Citizenship in a globalized world, including democracy, human rights, diversity, peace, social justice’. We report on our analysis of discussion-based tasks that are intended to reproduce in this virtual environment the opportunities for co-constructing knowledge and learning from other course members that are available in a classroom-based seminar. Since the course attracts students from across Europe and the wider world there is ample potential for intercultural learning. Students on the course come from a range of professional and geographical backgrounds. They receive a specially created course reader containing academic research papers and chapters and relevant policy documents. This is accompanied by a study guide that provides structured tasks to help students engage with the readings. About once a month students are expected to contribute to a discussion on the VLE. This provides the opportunity for students to come together as a community and contribute to an asynchronous computer-mediated conference. The intention of these opportunities for student-student and student-tutor interaction is to promote the social construction of knowledge and understandings of the application of a human rights framework to educational settings. However, our literature review (Hopkins et al., 2008) found a general lack of evidence of the achievement of these aims in such conferences. We therefore decided to closely examine the interactions and we have developed new tools of analysis to study ACMC in the context of learning about social justice, citizenship, democracy, and children’s rights. Unlike contributions at a face to face seminar, postings to the VLE are not ephemeral but remain accessible to researchers. We have therefore been able to investigate the extent to which there is evidence that students do construct knowledge together. In particular we have sought signs of the development of any intercultural sensitivity. We report on the factors, such as research-led teaching materials, close attention to task design and tutor presence, which enable students using ACMC to generate lively discussions and share understandings of democracy, children’s rights and their application to education, governance, social justice and development.

A framework for analysing the conference transcripts based on a content analysis approach was developed from Gunawardena et al.’s (1997) five-phase model. This provides a starting point for analysing discussions in terms of their capacity to generate higher order critical inquiry and social construction of knowledge. In addition, we have adapted the scales developed by Rourke et al. (2001) to assess the level of social presence in the conferences. For analysing task design and teacher presence we have adapted the model proposed by Anderson et al. (2001). We are currently exploring the possibilities of using ‘productive pedagogies’ (Chinnappan, 2006) as a further analytical framework.

We have identified features of task design and tutor intervention that appear to inhibit discussion and the construction of knowledge. We will also provide evidence of successful engagement of students with the subject matter of the course and with each other. We will report on our analysis of evidence of intercultural learning. We will propose guidelines for those designing computer mediated courses and for course tutors.