Write a 250-500 word summary of “Broadening the Notion of Participation in Online Discussions: Examining Patterns in Learners Online Listening Behaviors.” Include a discussion of the research problem, questions, methods, findings, and implications discussed by the authors.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Summary of “Broadening the Notion of Participation in Online Discussions: Examining Patterns in Learners’ Online Listening Behaviors”
Research Problem
The paper addresses a critical issue within the realm of online education: the conventional understanding of participation in online discussions often emphasizes active contributions, such as posting comments or asking questions. This narrow focus may overlook other vital forms of engagement, particularly listening behaviors, which are essential for meaningful interactions and learning in digital environments. The authors argue that a broader framework for participation should encompass various listening patterns that can illuminate learners’ engagement levels.
Research Questions
The study seeks to answer several pivotal questions:
1. What listening behaviors do learners exhibit during online discussions?
2. How do these listening behaviors correlate with their overall participation?
3. In what ways can recognizing listening as a form of participation enhance our understanding of learner engagement in online settings?
Methods
To investigate these questions, the authors utilized a mixed-methods approach. They analyzed data from an online course where discussions were facilitated through a learning management system. The research involved qualitative content analysis of discussion threads and quantitative measures of engagement, including the frequency and duration of posts and responses. This comprehensive methodology allowed the authors to uncover nuanced patterns in learners’ listening behaviors.
Findings
The findings revealed that listening behaviors play a significant role in shaping the dynamics of online discussions. Many learners engaged in passive listening, which included reading peers’ contributions without responding directly. However, this behavior was often accompanied by active cognitive processing, as evidenced by subsequent contributions that reflected deep understanding and integration of ideas presented by others. The authors noted that these listening patterns contribute to a richer learning environment, fostering a sense of community and enhancing collaborative knowledge construction.
Implications
The implications of this research are profound for educators and instructional designers. By broadening the definition of participation to include listening behaviors, instructors can devise more inclusive strategies that recognize and encourage various forms of engagement. This shift could lead to improved learning outcomes by validating the role of all participants in online discussions, irrespective of whether they actively voice their thoughts. Additionally, fostering an environment that values listening may promote deeper understanding and more thoughtful contributions over time.
In conclusion, this study highlights the need for a paradigm shift in how participation is understood in online educational settings. By embracing a more holistic view that includes listening, educators can create more effective and engaging learning experiences that cater to diverse learner needs and promote meaningful interactions.
