Dialogue by Design: How Alternative Online Discussion Forums Could Support Collaborative Disagreement

Authentic dialogue, in which citizens engage with different perspectives using evidence, is integral to participation in a democratic, literate society. Yet participants in classroom conversations and in public forums often talk past each other rather than taking up what others have written or said. How might the design of alternative online discussion forums enhance dialogue among secondary students? Prior research has suggested that practice with oral debate can promote dialogic uptake of different points of view. Yet few studies have examined whether and how online discussions might offer similar benefits. Moreover, opportunities remain to study how the design of different types of online forums might enable or inhibit students' uptake of others' words and ideas. Based on data generated in a Southern US secondary school during a unit on media literacy, we reveal how two alternative forum designs (including one created by Smith) influenced student dialogue about environmental issues. We discuss implications and challenges for fostering online discussions that support student dialogue and collaborative disagreement.