Using Principles of Activity Theory to Design Online E-learning Modules Supported by Cooperative Learning Activities on the Blackboard System

摘要

This research aims to design online e-learning modules supported by cooperative learning activities on the Blackboard System using principles of Activity Theory and also aims to investigate the impact of e-learning supported by cooperative learning on students' communication skills. E-learning modules were developed by the researcher and delivered through the Blackboard system (BB) at Qatar University, State of Qatar. The communication skills questionnaire were developed and administered to four groups of the Arabic Language (1) before and after the treatment. A quasi-experimental design was used and a 2 × 2 factorial analysis was applied in this research to examine the main effect of e-learning with cooperative learning (ELCL) mode and individual e-learning (IEL) mode as well as the main effect of the gender as a moderator variable, on the level of students' communication skills. The sample consisted of 170 undergraduate students from different majors at Qatar University. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data collected. The findings of this research showed that students using e-learning modules with cooperative learning (ELCL) attained significantly higher adjusted mean of the post-test scores on the perceptions of communication skills than students using individual e-learning modules (IEL). There is no significant difference between the male and female students on adjusted mean of the post-test scores on the communication skills. Also, there is no significant interaction effect between e-Learning modes (EL) and gender on the communication skills.