Peer interaction and critical thinking: face-to-face or online discussion?

This project aimed to engage students in a critical thinking activity using both online and face-to-face methods and compare the two modes in terms of evidence of critical thinking skills. Fifty-five university students (45 females, 10 males) were randomly allocated to small groups. Transcripts of the online and face-to-face discussions were compared using a content analysis method. A questionnaire was used to investigate students' preferred mode of discussion. Overall, more evidence of critical thinking was found in the online condition and more students stated that they preferred this mode of discussion; however, results were mixed and it is argued that both modes of discussion should be integrated into such an activity.