Review by: Ramanau, Ruslan (2004-09-06)

This paper describes a project at the University of Cape Town, aimed at developing a web-based DFAQ (Dynamic Frequently Asked Questions) environment, where learners interact with one another through asking and answering questions. The long-term goal of the project is to create a communicative space, in which both the flow of interaction and its artifacts become available to a community of learners.

The key feature of the environment is generating dynamic FAQ lists as questions are being posted rather than publishing pre-determined read-only responses. The postings to the environment are kept anonymous, thus concealing personal identities of the participants, but allowing for their individual voices to be heard. Lecturers have an option of both correcting incorrect answers and posting their own responses to questions. Each answer can be rated on a four-point scale from “very good” to “very poor” by both learners and teachers.

Using three sample extracts from postings to the environment web site and transcripts of interviews with learners the authors of the paper discuss ways in which learners enhance their critical questioning skills, develop appropriate vocabulary to engage in academic discourse on a given topic and keep focused on task-related goals when using DFAQ. Ng’ambi and Hardman argue that the new VLE provides learners with unique opportunities for discursive interaction with both fellow students and the teacher, facilitates more effective knowledge sharing and scaffolding of their engagement with academic texts. In addition to that, the content of questions can serve as an indicator of the learners’ current knowledge of the topic and help the teacher gain more insight on sources and types of misconceptions and misunderstanding of course material to address these in further instruction.

Although work on DFAQ is still in the pilot stage, its potential for sustaining student engagement with course materials is obvious. However, it does not appear to be clear from the piece whether learner contribution to FAQs should be made compulsory and what approaches to assessing to quality and quantity of the postings could be used. Therefore, in line with the authors’ conclusions, further investigation on the use of DFAQ in various contexts is necessary for a more comprehensive analysis of the benefits of this new promising Web-based tool.