Facilitating cross‐cultural online discussion groups: Implications for practice

Abstract

Online discussion is a powerful tool for the development of critical thinking, collaboration, and reflection. However, the effective instructional use of online discussions places new requirements on instructors for skilful facilitation. When the construct of cross‐cultural participants is added, the facilitation requirements increase. The purpose of this research was to determine and address the issues and challenges experienced by facilitators who are facilitating cross‐cultural group discussion activities in an online environment, and to provide strategies facilitators might employ when in this environment. Utilising action research methods of data collection and analysis, this study found that in a cross‐cultural online environment, the challenges of the facilitator expand beyond the currently identified range of problems of facilitation. Challenges such as questioning, participation, interpersonal and group dynamics, facilitator expectations and anxieties have surfaced as issues when facilitating in a cross‐cultural online environment.