A influncia da interveno do e-tutor no desenvolvimento da reflexo crtica dos estudantes no e-frum: nveis de associao

Resumo A maioria dos cursos atravs da Internet utiliza o frum electrnico, que permite o dilogo cognitivo, designadamente atravs da reflexo crtica colaborativa. O apoio do tutor colaborao, reflexo e aprendizagem permite explorar as caractersticas dos e-fruns e contribui para uma experincia acadmica mais positiva. Este estudo visava determinar quais so as tarefas do tutor no frum que contribuem para nveis mais elevados de reflexo. Procedeu-se anlise do contedo de 5 200 mensagens de fruns de um curso de mestrado a distncia. Definidos os indicadores de cada uma das variveis, 1) interveno do tutor e 2) reflexo crtica individual, foram identificados os pares de indicadores com nveis de associao elevados, moderados e fracos. As tarefas da tutoria mais associadas aos nveis superiores de reflexo dos estudantes foram: 1) fazer perguntas abertas aos estudantes, 2) modelar a discusso e 3) estabelecer associaes entre as intervenes dos estudantes. Palavras-chave: frum electrnico, tutoria, reflexo crtica Abstract Most courses through the Internet make use of the e-forum to promote cognitive dialogue among students and between students and their tutor, such as through critical thinking. The asynchronous discussion forums support collaboration, reflection and learning and can contribute to a more positive academic experience. This study aimed to identify the e-tutors tasks that contribute to higher levels of reflection. The content of 5 200 messages of an e-Masters course was analyzed and the dimensions of the two variables tutors intervention and students critical thinking were set ,and the pair of indicators with high, moderate and weak levels of association were identified. Asking open questions to the students, modeling the debate and commenting on several students messages together had a stronger correlation with higher levels of the students critical thinking. Keywords: e-forum, e-tutoring, critical thinking

Introduo Com o desenvolvimento das tecnologias da comunicao, dos sistemas de gesto da aprendizagem e das ferramentas de dilogo, o ensino a distncia passou a ter a possibilidade criar espaos de dilogo para desenvolver a interaco entre o professor e os estudantes e entre os estudantes. Apoiar tecnologicamente os estudantes, organizar e conduzir o debate, moderar a discusso, estimular a participao, resolver os problemas de comunicao, ajudar a estruturar a reflexo e conduzir o processo da construo do conhecimento ou de resoluo de problemas, esclarecer dvidas, corrigir trajectrias, constituem algumas das tarefas essenciais do tutor (Jorge, no prelo). Embora, em teoria, se d importncia ao debate entre os estudantes, na prtica, verificase que as discusses no frum tm pouca importncia na avaliao dos estudantes e o tutor raramente tem uma estratgia clara de desenvolvimento das competncias reflexivas dos estudantes. Simultaneamente, os estudantes academicamente mais competentes revelam pouco entusiasmo pelo frum, como reflecte o depoimento de uma estudante: No me sinto de forma alguma motivada para responder a raciocnios to mal formulados e fundamentados. [sublinhado da estudante] Ao escrever aqui em 5 minutos sobre o que a Idalina me pede, e sem grande cuidado de estilo, pelo que tenho observado nos fruns, as pessoas vm ao frum discutir algo por obrigao, mas nem sempre tm vontade de o fazer. [sublinhado da estudante] Eu vou l, penso umas coisas, despejo e, se vale nota, vou procurar um ou dois livros e fundamento pela cabea dos outros, dando minha interveno um carcter de fiabilidade. Posso at intervir porque quero, porque acho interessante uma interveno, porque me irrita, etc. [sublinhado da estudante] A mim o que me leva a intervir nos fruns que no tm um carcter obrigatrio [sublinhado da investigadora] meu, todos os outros so da autoria da prpria] o facto de algumas intervenes me enervarem bastante, de tal mal argumentadas: ento intervenho. [sublinhado da estudante] () As pessoas so to pouco crticas e abertas a novas coisas. Quando falam e criticam, fazem-no pela sua posio dogmtica e individualista? Querero realmente as pessoas aprender com o

que os outros dizem ou s pretendem fingir que os ouvem? [sublinhado da estudante] E ao ouvi-los, procuram atingir o real sentido das suas palavras? () No depoimento desta estudante so de salientar as categorias principais: nos fruns 1) pensa-se mal e 2) participa-se por obrigao, no por uma vontade intrnseca de debater ideias e de aprender com os outros. Decorrendo da crena de que se podem e devem desenvolver actividades autnticas que promovem o dilogo e a colaborao entre os estudantes, de tirar partido do saber e da experincia de cada um, foram experimentadas vrias funes e estratgias tipificadas na literatura, no sentido de tirar dele o maior partido, em termos do desenvolvimento das funes cognitivas superiores.

Reviso da literatura O dilogo uma componente essencial da aprendizagem. No caso da aprendizagem a distncia e mediada pelos computadores, desde o incio dos anos 90 so atribudos ao dilogo entre estudantes e entre os estes e o seu professor, efeitos positivos na aprendizagem, na socializao, motivao e satisfao dos estudantes com o seu curso. Por outro lado, estimular a reflexo crtica dos estudantes um objectivo educacional essencial na sociedade actual. O conceito foi discutido por um conjunto de sbios liderado por Facione (1990) que o definiram nestes termos: O pensamento crtico um juzo deliberado, auto-regulatrio, de que resulta a interpretao, a anlise, a avaliao, a inferncia e a explicao de consideraes () em que um juzo se fundamenta () O pensamento crtico uma competncia de um esprito inquisitivo, bem informado, racional, aberto, flexvel, justo, honesto, prudente a julgar, disposto a reconsiderar e a esclarecer, () diligente na procura de informao relevante, razovel na seleco de critrios, disposto a investigar e persistente na procura de resultados precisos.

Contudo, nem todos os processos cognitivos podem ser considerados pensamento crtico, j que este constitui uma forma superior de competncias

de resoluo de problemas, de tomada de deciso e de pensamento criativo que, em simultneo, congregam as dimenses cognitiva e afectiva. Entre o pensamento crtico e no-crtico, a diferena coloca-se ao nvel do processamento profundo ou superficial. profundidade do processamento correspondem categorias como: 1) a relevncia, 2) a clareza, 3) a utilizao de conhecimento ou da experincia para analisar o problema, 4) a ligao de ideias e a interpretao, 5) a justificao, 6) a utilidade prtica, 7) a profundidade da compreenso, 8) o juzo crtico. presena e a ausncia destas categorias no pensamento dos estudantes corresponde uma marcao positiva ou negativa de pensamento crtico. No entanto, o desenvolvimento de competncias do pensamento crtico dos estudantes depende da matriz filosfica dos seus professores que devem, eles prprios, desenvolvlas. A matriz filosfica do professor, as suas crenas e valores em relao s questes do ensino em geral, e educao de adultos, em particular, e o meio em que desenvolve o seu trabalho influenciam o seu estilo e estratgias de ensino. O estilo de ensino do tutor, a forma como concebe e desenvolve o ambiente de aprendizagem, os mtodos e as estratgias que utiliza para apresentar os contedos, a forma como lidera as discusses, como encoraja as interaces, alimenta a curiosidade dos estudantes, marca a diferena na qualidade das interaces do frum. Um tutor que cr nas vantagens da autonomia e da interaco, aceita novas ideias, valoriza as diferenas de opinio, estimula diferentes pontos de vista, procura novas formas de ensinar e de aprender e sabe identificar o que despoleta a reflexo, inspira e motiva os estudantes (Barrows, 1992), que os encoraja a tornarem-se independentes e a procurar por si prprios a informao para fundamentarem opinies e hipteses, responde a perguntas, sugere percursos, diagnostica ms interpretaes, fornece explicaes alternativas, tem uma matriz terica baseada na autonomia, na interdependncia, na comunicao e na interaco (Keegan, 1998; Paulsen, 1995). Hamza & Nash (1996) encontraram relaes entre a personalidade do tutor e sua eficcia e verificaram que os estilos de tutoria influenciam o desempenho dos

estudantes e o ambiente de aprendizagem, tornando-o mais ou menos propiciador da criatividade e do desenvolvimento de competncias. Estas associaes j haviam sido verificadas por Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier, & Ryan (1991) e s-lo-iam posteriormente por Chan (2002), no que diz respeito importncia do estilo de motivao, um conceito educacional relevante nos resultados acadmicos e no desenvolvimento de competncias individuais e sociais dos estudantes. Chan (2002), num estudo em que utilizou a verso chinesa do teste de Myers-Briggs (MBTI), concluiu que certos traos de personalidade esto associados ao estilo de tutoria mediada pelos computadores. Tambm Tonelson (1981) afirma que a personalidade do professor tem repercusses nos resultados da aprendizagem e influencia o ambiente psicolgico em que esta ocorre. A investigao sugere igualmente que a motivao dos alunos influenciada pelo estilo do professor, mais directivo ou de tendncia mais autonmica (Deci & Ryan, 1987; Reeve, 1998). Barrows (1992) considera que, em educao a distncia, as situaes de passividade do estudante, em que o tutor decide o que se aprende, com que profundidade e sequncia, prejudica a aquisio de algumas competncias, designadamente de resoluo de problemas e de aprendizagem independente e crtica. Deste modo, as estratgias que promovem a interdependncia entre os estudantes, a reflexo crtica e a aprendizagem autnoma e tiram partido da diversidade de competncias e de experincias so mais apropriadas. Os estudantes que tm professores com este perfil se consideram academicamente mais competentes e mais motivados (Deci et al., 1991), mais criativos (Hamza & Nash, 1996), revelam uma compreenso mais profunda dos contedos (Boggiano, Flint, Shields, Seelbach, & Barett, 1993), apresentam taxas de abandono mais reduzidas (Tait, 2004), melhores aprendizagens e nveis de satisfao (Swan et al, 2000). A personalidade do professor e o seu estilo de ensino esto fortemente associados, e tambm existe uma relao significativa entre a personalidade do tutor e o grau de coeso dos estudantes (Gao e Gu, 2005). Quanto s funes do e-tutor no e-forum, a literatura utiliza vrias designaes, que reflectem diferenas conceptuais e de orientao terica e filosfica sobre a aprendizagem e, em particular, sobre a aprendizagem na idade adulta; contudo, j

claro que s com uma interveno activa por parte do e-moderador, que concebe, organiza, dinamiza e conduz, clarifica, o frum consegue levantar voo. No contexto do frum, tarefas como: 1) identificar opinies convergentes ou divergentesde modo a que os estudantes compreendam em profundidade a relevncia dos assuntos discutidos; 2) procurar consensos e entendimentos, de modo a que os estudantes se sintam apoiados no seu percurso de aprendizagem; 3) encorajar e reforar as contribuies dos estudantes e manifestar apreo pelas suas contribuies (Shank, 2001); 4) criar um clima de confiana e de interesse recproco propcio aprendizagem (Wilson et al., 2005), encorajando os estudantes a explorar os contedos, desconstruindo, reconstruindo e desenvolvendo novas ideias e raciocnios (Winniecki, 1999); 5) solicitar a participao e estimular o debate, mantendo os estudantes envolvidos e 6) avaliar o processo, mantendo o curso do debate (Garrison & Anderson, 2003), contribuem para um clima cognitivo e social adequado aprendizagem. No frum, o professor tem de garantir igualdade de oportunidades, chamar ao debate os menos participativos, instigar a participao e promover a interao, gerir situaes de conflito, transformando-as em oportunidades para estreitar relaes e desenvolver competncias de resoluo de conflitos (Strickland, 1998), diminuir o impacto negativo da assincronia e de um eventual excesso de informao, referindo-se a vrias mensagens na mesma interveno e estabelecendo conexes entre elas.

Metodologia 1. As perguntas de investigao

O estudo procurou determinar o nvel de associao entre as diversas tarefas de tutoria e os nveis superiores de reflexo dos estudantes. 2. O contexto e o material de estudo

Foram seleccionadas 5 200 mensagens de fruns de discusso num curso de Mestrado em regime a distncia de uma universidade portuguesa. 3. As variveis e a sua operacionalizao

A interveno do e-tutor no frum foi operacionalizada nos termos do quadro 1.

Quadro 1. Modelo de codificao da interveno do tutor no frum Interveno do tutor Comunicar aos estudantes os objectivos e/ou regras e condies do debate. Criar um clima de debate, positivo e amigvel (boas vindas, cumprimentos, estmulos e reforos). Mediar conflitos. Modelar a discusso. Reconduzir a discusso, quando se foge ao tema. Apresentar pontos de vista opostos ou conflituais. Propor temas de discusso relevantes para o curso. Apresentar as diferentes perspectivas sobre o tema, os pontos de vista opostos ou conflituais. Fornecer sugestes de orientao e encaminhar o debate. Comentar as participaes dos estudantes. Fazer perguntas abertas aos estudantes para esclarecimentos, justificaes ou desenvolvimentos de mensagens, colocadas por eles e pelos estudantes Clarificar, esclarecer e desenvolver algumas, prprias ou dos estudantes. Responder a dvidas e perguntas dos estudantes e dar opinies especializadas e aconselhamento. A varivel reflexo foi operacionalizada nos termos do quadro 2. Quadro 2. Modelo de codificao dos processos individuais de reflexo crtica Cdigo OPINIES Descrio Pressupostos, ou afirmaes, ou negaes meramente opinativas. Concordncia ou discordncia em relao a outras posies, quer exteriores, quer de outros participantes do frum. Referncia a experincias, pessoais ou alheias. RACIOCNIO/ ARGUMENTAO INDUO/ Ilaes implcitas, sem uma completa argumentao explcita Induo a partir de experincias (pessoais ou alheias), ou deduo a partir de conhecimentos tericos.

DEDUO PREVISO/ AVALIAO

Concluses, ou hipteses, ou interpretaes, ou condies de realizao fundamentadas. Previso fundamentada de implicaes ou de consequncias. Avaliao de implicaes, ou hipteses, ou consequncias, ou de condies de realizao. Apresentao de solues.

RACIOCNIO DIVERGENTE

Reestruturao fundamentada do tema/problema. Snteses.

4. As unidades de anlise A unidade de anlise adoptada para a varivel interveno do tutor foi a mensagem. Numa mensagem, podem ocorrer vrias funes. Para o tratamento estatstico foi contado o nmero de mensagens em que cada funo ocorreu. Para avaliar a reflexo dos estudantes, a unidade de anlise foi a mensagem. Em cada mensagem foi identificado o nvel cognitivo superior, que determinou a sua classificao nos nveis 1 a 4. 5. Os procedimentos

As mensagens seleccionadas no sistema foram mantidas na sua ordem cronolgica, importadas para um programa de anlise qualitativa, onde foram codificadas. As categorias foram sendo progressivamente refinadas, de modo a tornarem-se mutuamente exclusivas. Quando se estabeleceu um protocolo estvel, foram dadas a dois codificadores (professores de Filosofia do Ensino Secundrio) as sequncias completas de quarenta fruns; estes codificadores trabalharem em conjunto na codificao, seguiram, aplicaram e apuraram o protocolo, ajustando e verificando as regras e procedimentos e codificaram o material seleccionado. Aps este refinamento, a investigadora procedeu a uma primeira codificao. Dada a extenso do material codificado e o risco de memorizao reforado pelo tempo da tarefa, houve que proceder a diversas pausas, que levaram a um tempo de codificao de

um ano. Fez-se um intervalo de codificao de seis meses e procedeu-se a uma segunda codificao. Os dados foram registados num software de tratamento estatstico, (SPSS); os nveis 3 e 4 de reflexo foram recodificados para o nvel 3, dada a baixa percentagem de ocorrncias de nvel 4. Para medir a estabilidade temporal das codificaes e a percentagem de concordncia, inter-codificadores, o coeficiente de Holsti (1969) e o kappa de Cohen so os mais utilizados. O kapppa de Cohen mede a proporo de concordncia entre grupos diferentes de avaliadores ou avaliaes. Ao kappa de Cohen atribudo o inconveniente de ter de haver uma deciso a priori, quanto ao nmero de ocorrncias de codificao, problema que no se colocou neste estudo, j que a unidade de anlise foi a mensagem que, ao contrrio de outras, uma unidade bem definida.

Resultados e Concluses 1. Participao do tutor e dos estudantes Das 5 200 mensagens, com uma mdia de 93 palavras e de 5,8 frases por cada mensagem, foram registadas 622 mensagens do tutor. A participao da tutora no frum equivale a uma percentagem de cerca de 12% do total das mensagens. Uma mensagem da tutora pode conter indicadores de vrias categorias, j que todas as mensagens contm elementos de natureza social, como saudaes e despedidas, estmulos, reforos. A distribuio das funes das mensagens da tutora apresentada por nmero de ocorrncias no quadro 3 e a distribuio das mensagens dos estudantes apresentada por percentagem de ocorrncias no quadro 4.

Quadro 3. Ocorrncias das intervenes da tutora no frum por categoria Interveno do tutor 1. Comunicar os objectivos e/ou regras e condies do debate. 2. Propor temas de discusso. 3. Criar um clima de debate, positivo e amigvel (boas vindas, cumprimentos, estmulos e reforos). Ocorrncias 40 40 622

4. Modelar a discusso. 5. Reconduzir a discusso, quando se foge ao tema. 6. Apresentar as diferentes perspectivas (externas ao debate) sobre o tema, os pontos de vista opostos ou conflituais. 7. Fornecer sugestes de orientao e encaminhar o debate. 8. Comentar as participaes (individuais) dos estudantes. 9. Comentar vrias intervenes dos estudantes e estabelecer associaes entre elas 10. Fazer perguntas aos estudantes para esclarecimentos, justificaes ou desenvolvimentos de mensagens. estudantes 11. Esclarecer e desenvolver ideias. 12. Responder a dvidas e perguntas dos estudantes e dar opinies especializadas e aconselhamento. 13. Mediar conflitos.

56 48 76 57

68 101

49 59 56 0

Embora a literatura refira a mediao de conflitos, no houve ocorrncias nos fruns analisados. Quadro 4. A interveno dos estudantes no frum por categoria Cdigo Descrio 1. Pressupostos, ou afirmaes, ou negaes meramente opinativas. 2. Concordncia ou discordncia em OPINIES relao a outras posies, quer exteriores, quer de outros participantes do frum. 3. Referncia a experincias, pessoais ou alheias. RACIOCNIO/ 4. Ilaes implcitas, sem uma completa 32,9% 58,5% % Por categoria

ARGUMENTAO INDUO/ DEDUO

argumentao explcita 5. Induo a partir de experincias (pessoais ou alheias), ou deduo a partir de conhecimentos tericos. 6. Concluses, ou hipteses, ou interpretaes, ou condies de realizao fundamentadas.

PREVISO/ AVALIAO

7. Previso fundamentada de implicaes ou de consequncias. 8. Avaliao de implicaes, ou hipteses, ou consequncias, ou de condies de realizao. 9. Apresentao de solues.

7,7%

RACIOCNIO DIVERGENTE

10. Reestruturao fundamentada do tema/problema. Snteses.

0,9

2. Nveis de associao Os nveis de associao foram medidos atravs do V de Cramer; foram consideradas mais elevadas as associaes superiores a 0,400; foi considerada moderada uma associao entre pares de categorias no intervalo entre 0,250 e 0,399. Abaixo desse nvel, os nveis de associao foram considerados fracos. Foi considerada apenas a associao entre as tarefas da tutoria e o nvel 3 de reflexo (recodificado). As associaes fortes entre as tarefas da tutoria e a reflexo foram: 1) modelar a discusso, 2) fazer perguntas abertas aos estudantes para esclarecimentos, justificaes ou desenvolvimentos de mensagens e 3) comentar vrias intervenes dos estudantes e estabelecer associaes entre elas. Limitaes do estudo e perspectivas de futuro As dificuldades e limitaes deste estudo prendem-se simultaneamente com questes de natureza metodolgica e terica.

De natureza metodolgica a dificuldade em atingir nveis de concordncia aceitveis e reveladores da estabilidade das codificaes. Esta prende-se teoricamente com o nmero elevado de categorias dentro de cada varivel, o que dificulta o processo de estabilizao. A dificuldade em atingir nveis de concordncia aceitveis sugere que se desenvolvam sistemas de debate em que so os participantes a codificar as suas mensagens num nmero limitado de categorias, a partir de um quadro referencial fornecido pelos seus tutores; tal exerccio funciona igualmente como estratgia de auto-regulao. Notaram-se ainda diferenas entre as vrias linhas de discusso relacionadas com os assuntos em debate a composio dos grupos, o que sugere a necessidade de compreender o que lhes especfico, designadamente quando alguns estudantes assumem funes de tutoria, o que nos coloca o imperativo de procurar compreender o frum na sua multidimensionalidade e interpretar os padres que emergem da anlise de dados, pelo que as perguntas de investigao tm de ser colocadas de modo a permitir um estudo integrado das variveis. Os resultados sugerem ainda pistas para a estrutura da mensagem desencadeante do debate e uma ateno cuidada, no apenas sua sequncia, ao fluir das ideias de umas mensagens para as outras, mas tambm a mensagens nucleares, em torno das quais surgem novos desenvolvimentos. Da poder surgir uma taxinomia de perguntas abertas que conduzem o dilogo cognitivo aos seus nveis superiores e iluminam o modus operandi do tutor. Decorre ainda dos resultados a hiptese de que solues tecnolgicas mais interactivas que facilitem o manuseamento da informao contida no frum mas, acima de tudo, de que os estudantes necessitam no apenas de reflexo e de tempo para o fazer, mas tambm de um acompanhamento e conduo adequados por parte do tutor. A escassez de unidades da categoria da reestruturao fundamentada do tema/problema pode estar relacionada com a complexidade dos temas, a falta de informao ou de capacidade dos estudantes para a reunir, a mera falta de tempo para desenvolver os assuntos ou ainda pela forma como a tutoria exercida. Neste aspecto, possvel dispensar um ou dois estudantes da participao no frum e encarreg-los de fazer uma sntese do debate.

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The influence of e-tutor's intervention in the development of critical thinking in students' eforum: membership levels Summary Most courses via the Internet using the electronic forum that allows cognitive dialogue, including through critical reflection. The tutor support to collaboration, reflection and learning can explore the characteristics of e-forums and contributes to a more positive academic experience. This study aims to identify what are the tasks of the mentor forum that contribute to higher levels of reflection. Proceeded to the content analysis of 5200 messages in forums for a Masters course at a distance. Defined indicators of each variable, 1) intervention by the tutor and 2) individual reflection, identified the pair of indicators with high levels of membership, moderate and weak. The tasks of mentoring most associated with higher levels of reflection students were: 1) Asking open to students, 2) model the discussion and 3) to establish associations between the actions of students. Keywords: electronic forum, mentoring, critical reflection Abstract Most courses through the Internet make use of the e-forum dialogue to promote: Among students and cognitive Between Authorities and their tutor students, such as through critical

thinking. The asynchronous discussion forums support collaboration, reflection and learning and Can Contribute to a more positive academic experience. This study Aimed to identify the e-tutor's tasks That Contribute to higher levels of reflection. The content of 5200 messages of an e-Masters course was Analyzed and the dimensions of the two variables - Tutor's Intervention and students' critical thinking - Were set, and the pair of indicators with high, moderate and weak levels of association Were been identified. Asking open questions to the students, modeling the debate and commenting on Several students 'messages together Had a stronger correlation with higher levels of the students' critical thinking. Keywords: e-forums, e-tutoring, critical thinking

Introduction With the development of communication technologies, management systems of learning and dialogue tools, distance learning has to be able to create spaces for dialogue to develop the interaction between teacher and students and among students. Technologically support the students, organize and lead the debate, moderating the discussion, encourage participation, solving the problems of communication, help structure the debate and lead the process of building knowledge or solving problems, answer questions, correct courses, constitute some of the essential tasks of the mentor (George, in press). Although, in theory, giving greater importance to the debate among students, in practice, it appears that the discussions in the forum are of little importance in the evaluation of students and the tutor rarely has a clear strategy of developing the reflective skills of students. Simultaneously, more academically competent show little enthusiasm for the forum, as reflected in the testimony of one student: I do not feel at all motivated to respond to arguments as badly formulated and substantiated. [Emphasis added by the student] When writing here in five minutes about what Idalina asks me, without great care and style, from what I've seen in forums, people come to the forum to discuss something out of obligation, but not always willing, to do. [Emphasis added by the student] I go there, I think some things, eviction, and if it is worth note, I will try one or two books and plea by the head of others, giving my speech a matter of reliability. I can even speak because I want to, because I think an interesting speech because my pet peeves, etc.. [Emphasis added by the student] to me which leads me to intervene in the forums that do not have a mandatory [emphasis added by the researcher] is mine, all others are the author's own] is that unnerves me quite some interventions, such poorly argued, then speak. [Emphasis added by the student] (...) People are so little criticism and open to new things. When they talk and criticize, do it for his dogmatic position and individualistic? People actually want to learn

from what others say or just want to pretend that they hear? [Emphasis added by the student] And to hear them, seek to achieve the real meaning of his words? (...) In testimony this student is to highlight the main categories: one in the forums) think is wrong and 2) to participate out of obligation, not by an intrinsic desire to discuss ideas and learn from others. Arising from the belief that one can and should undertake activities that promote genuine dialogue and collaboration among students, to take advantage of knowledge and experience of each, were tried various functions and strategies typified in the literature, to take from it largest party in terms of the development of higher cognitive functions. Literature review The dialogue is an essential component of learning. In the case of distance learning and mediated by computers since the early 90s are assigned to the dialogue among and between these students and their teacher, positive effects on learning, socialization, motivation and students' satisfaction with their course. On the other hand, stimulate students' critical thinking is a key educational objective in today's society. The concept was discussed by a group of scholars led by Facione (1990) who defined it in these terms: Critical thinking is a deliberate judgment, self-regulating, which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference and explanation of considerations (...) in which a court relies (...) Critical thinking is the responsibility of a inquisitive spirit, well-informed, rational, open, flexible, fair, honest, wise judge, willing to reconsider and to clarify, (...) diligent in seeking relevant information, reasonable in selection criteria, willing to investigate and persistent in seeking accurate results.

However, not all cognitive processes can be considered critical, since this is a superior form of problem-solving skills, decision making and creative thinking that simultaneously bring together the cognitive and affective dimensions. Among the critical and non-critical, difference to the level of processing deep or shallow. At a depth of processing corresponding categories: 1) relevance, 2) clarity, 3) the use of knowledge or experience to analyze the problem, 4) the connection of ideas and interpretation, 5) justification, 6) the usefulness practice, 7) the depth of understanding, 8) the critical judgments. In the presence and absence of these categories in the minds of students represents a positive or negative marking of critical thinking. However, the development of critical thinking skills of students depends on the philosophical roots of their teachers who must themselves develop them.

The philosophical roots of the teacher, its beliefs and values regarding education issues in general and adult education in particular and environment in which he develops his work influencing his style and teaching strategies. The teaching style of the tutor, how to design and develop the learning environment, methods and strategies they use to display content, the way leads the discussions, interactions and encourages, nurtures students' curiosity, marks the difference in the quality of the interactions of the forum. A coach who believes in the advantages of autonomy and interaction, accept new ideas, values differences of opinion, encourages different points of view, seeking new ways of teaching and learning and can identify what triggers reflection, inspires and motivates students (Barrows, 1992), which encourages them to become independent and seek for themselves the information to substantiate opinions and hypotheses, answers questions, suggests pathways, diagnose misperceptions, provides alternative explanations, has a theoretical framework based on autonomy, interdependence, communication and interaction (Keegan, 1998; Paulsen, 1995). Hamza & Nash (1996) found relationships between personality and effectiveness of the tutor and found that styles of mentoring influence student performance and learning environment, making it more or less a helping of creativity and skill development. These associations have already been verified by Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier, & Ryan (1991) and would be so later by Chan (2002), with regard to the importance of style of motivation, a concept relevant educational and academic results the development of individual and social skills of students. Chan (2002), in a study that used the Chinese version of the Myers-Briggs test (MBTI), concluded that certain personality traits are associated with the style of mentoring mediated by computers. Also Tonelson (1981) states that the personality of the teacher has an impact on learning outcomes and influences the psychological environment in which it occurs. Research also suggests that student motivation is influenced by the style of the teacher, or more directors of a more autonomous (Deci & Ryan, 1987; Reeve, 1998). Barrows (1992) considers that in distance education, the situations of passivity of the student, the tutor who decides what is learned, with the depth and sequence, impaired the acquisition of some skills, including problem solving and learning critically and independently. Thus, strategies that promote interdependence among students, critical thinking and independent learning and benefit from diversity of skills and experience are more appropriate. Students who have teachers with this profile are considered academically more competent and better motivated (Deci et al., 1991), creative (Hamza & Nash, 1996), reveal a deeper understanding of the content (Boggiano, Flint, Shields, Seelbach , & Barett, 1993), have lower

dropout rates (Tait, 2004), better learning and levels of satisfaction (Swan et al, 2000). The personality of the teacher and his teaching style are strongly associated, and there is also a significant relationship between the personality of the tutor and the degree of cohesion among students (Gao and Gu, 2005). As the tasks of e-tutor in the e-forum, literature uses several names, which reflect differences in theoretical orientation and conceptual and philosophical about learning and, in particular, about learning in adulthood, however, it is clear that only with an active intervention by the emoderator, who conceives, organizes, leads and streamlines, clarifies, the forum can "take off". During the forum, such tasks as: 1) identify converging or divergentesde so that students understand in depth the relevance of issues discussed, 2) seek consensus and understanding, so that students feel supported in their learning and 3) encourage and reinforce students' contributions and express appreciation for their contributions (Shank, 2001), 4) create a climate of trust and mutual interests conducive to learning (Wilson et al., 2005), encouraging students to explore content, deconstructing, reconstructing and developing new ideas and reasoning (Winniecki, 1999), 5) seek the participation and stimulate discussion, keeping students involved and 6) evaluate the process, keeping the course of debate (Garrison & Anderson, 2003 ) contribute to a climate-appropriate social and cognitive learning. At the forum, the teacher has to ensure equal opportunities, call the debate to less participatory, instigating participation and promote interaction, manage conflicts, turning them into opportunities to deepen relationships and develop skills in conflict resolution (Strickland, 1998), decrease the negative impact of asynchrony and a possible excess of information, referring to several posts in the same intervention and establishing connections between them.

Methodology 1. The research questions The study examined the association level between the various tasks of mentoring and higher levels of student reflection. 2. The context and the study material 5200 messages were selected for discussion forums on a Masters course under the distance of a Portuguese university. 3. The variables and their operationalization The intervention of the e-tutor forum was operationalized in accordance with Table 1. Table 1. Coding format of the intervention of the tutor forum

Intervention Tutor Communicate to students the objectives and / or terms and conditions of the debate. Create a climate of debate, positive and friendly (welcome, greetings, encouragement and reinforcement). Mediate conflicts. Shaping the discussion. Redirect the discussion when it is beyond the subject. Present opposing viewpoints or conflicting. Propose topics for discussion relevant to the course. Present the different perspectives on the subject, opposing viewpoints or conflicting. Provide guidance and suggestions for the debate forward. Comment on the participation of students. Open to students to ask questions for clarification, justification or developments of messages posted by them and for students Clarify, clarify and develop some of its own or the students. Respond to inquiries and questions from students and give expert opinions and advice. The variable reflection was operationalized in accordance with Table 2. Table 2. Coding format of the individual processes of critical reflection Code Description OPINIONS assumptions or assertions, denials or merely opinionated. Agreement or disagreement in relation to other locations, either outside or from other forum participants. Reference to testing, personal or others. THINKING / ARGUMENT INDUCTION / DEDUCTION Lessons implicit, explicit argument without a full

Induction from experience (personal or others), or deduction from theoretical knowledge. Conclusions or assumptions, or interpretations, or fulfillment conditions stated. ESTIMATED / EVALUATION reasoned forecast of implications or consequences. Assessment of implications or assumptions, or consequences, or conditions of realization. Presentation of solutions. DIVERGENT THINKING Restructuring based theme / issue. Syntheses.

4. The units of analysis The unit of analysis adopted for the variable was the intervention of the tutor message. In a message, there may be multiple roles. The statistic was counted the number of messages in which each function has occurred. To evaluate the reflection of the students, the unit of analysis was the message. In each message was identified higher cognitive level, which determined its classification in levels 1-4. 5. Procedures

Selected messages in the system were kept in chronological order, imported into a qualitative analysis program, where they were coded. The categories were progressively refined in order to become mutually exclusive. When we established a stable protocol, were given to two encoders (professors of philosophy of Secondary Education) of the complete sequences of forty forums; these coders work together on coding, then apply the protocol and ascertained by adjusting and checking the rules and procedures and coded the material selected. After this refinement, the researcher held an initial coding. Given the length of the encoded material and the risk of increased memorization by the time of the task, had to make several breaks, which led to an encoding time of one year. There was a range of encoding six months and proceeded to a second encoding. Data were recorded in a statistical software (SPSS), levels 3 and 4 were recoded to reflect the level 3, the low percentage of occurrences of level 4. To measure the temporal stability of the encodings and the percentage of agreement, intercoding, the coefficient of Holsti (1969) and Cohen's kappa are the most used. The kapppa Cohen measures the proportion of agreement between different groups of raters or ratings. Cohen's kappa to be awarded the inconvenience of having an a priori decision regarding the number of occurrences of coding problem that did not arise in this study, since the unit of analysis was the message that, unlike others, is a well-defined unit. Results and Conclusions 1. Participation of the tutor and students Of the 5200 messages, with an average of 93 words and 5.8 sentences per message, 622 messages have been registered tutor. The tutor's participation in the forum equivalent to a proportion of approximately 12% of total posts. A message from the tutor may contain several categories of indicators, since all the messages contain elements of a social nature, such as greetings and farewells, stimuli, reinforcements. The distribution of the functions of guardian of the messages is by number of occurrences in Table 3 and the distribution of messages from

students is presented as a percentage of occurrences in Table 4.

Table 3. Results of the tutor's interventions in the forum by category Intervention Tutor F 37 Results 1. Communicate the objectives and / or terms and conditions of the debate. 40 2. Propose topics for discussion. 40 3. Creates a climate of debate, positive and friendly (welcome, greetings, encouragement and reinforcement). 622 4. Shaping the discussion. 56 5. Redirect the discussion when it is beyond the subject. 48 6. Present the different perspectives (external to the debate) on the subject, opposing viewpoints or conflicting. 76 7. Provide guidance and suggestions for the debate forward. 57

8. Comment shares (individual) students. 68 9. Comment students' various interventions and to establish correlations among them 101 10. Asking students to explanations, justifications or developments messages. 49 students 11. Clarify and develop ideas. 59 12. Respond to inquiries and questions from students and give expert opinions and advice. 56 13. Mediate conflicts. 0

Although the literature refers to mediating conflicts, no incidents analyzed in the forums.

Table 4. The involvement of students in the forum by category Code Description% By Category OPINIONS 1. Assumptions or assertions, denials or merely opinionated. 58.5% 2. Agreement or disagreement in relation to other locations, either outside or from other forum participants. 3. Reference to testing, personal or others. THINKING / ARGUMENT INDUCTION / DEDUCTION 4. Lessons implied, without a complete explicit argument 32.9%

5. Induction from experience (personal or others), or deduction from theoretical knowledge. 6. Conclusions or assumptions, or interpretations, or fulfillment conditions stated. ESTIMATED / EVALUATION 7. Substantiated forecast of implications or consequences. 7.7% 8. Assessment of implications or assumptions, or consequences, or conditions of realization. 9. Presentation of solutions. DIVERGENT THINKING 10. Restructuring based theme / issue. Syntheses. 0,9

2. Membership levels Membership levels were measured by Cramer's V, were considerably higher association of more than 0.400, was considered a moderate association between pairs of categories in the range between 0.250 and 0.399. Below this level, the levels of association were considered weak. We considered only the association between the tasks of mentoring, and level 3 of reflection (recoded). The strong associations between the tasks of mentoring and reflection were: 1) to model the discussion, 2) open to students asking for clarifications, explanations or developments message and 3) various interventions of students commenting and making associations between them. Study limitations and future prospects The difficulties and limitations of this study relate to issues of both theoretical and methodological nature. Methodological in nature is the difficulty in achieving acceptable levels of agreement and reveal the stability of the encodings. This theory has to do with the large number of categories within each variable, which complicates the process of stabilization. The difficulty in achieving acceptable levels of agreement suggests that systems being developed for discussion in which participants are to encode their messages in a limited number of categories, from a frame of reference provided by their tutors, this exercise also works as a strategy for self -regulation. It was also noted differences between the various lines of discussion related to the topics being discussed at the group composition, which suggests the need to understand what their specialty, especially when some students play the role of mentoring, which puts us in the imperative seek to understand the forum in its multidimensional and interpret the patterns that emerge from the analysis of data for the research questions that need to be placed to allow an integrated study of the variables.

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