INVESTIGATING THE ROLES OF THE INSTRUCTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY THROUGH NETWORKED LEARNING IN A MALAYSIAN CONTEXT

This study explores the roles that the instructor plays in the development of a collaborative learning community through networked learning. The respondents for this case study involves twenty-three undergraduate TESL students in their final year and an instructor who is the online tutor. This study employs the qualitative method as the research methodology. The instruments used in the data gathering process are online interaction analysis and semi-structured interviews. Data are triagulated to justify the findings. The findings showcases that both the students and the instructor play significant roles in developing the collaborative community. The students are seen to be having a lot of autonomy in deciding the progress of their learning. The instructor need not to be in control all the time. The findings higlight that the instructor's roles are categorised into four different aspects: pedagogical, social, managerial and technical. The instructor is more of a facilitator in this community. Having said that, the instructor should not disappear from the online interaction completely. The instructor needs to monitor the students' participation from time to time to ensure that everybody contributes in the learning community. The instructor also needs to ensure that the networked learning environment is conducive for everyone to be actively involved.