Examining patterns of student participation in online discussion boards by Annie Hoekman BS PDF
Preview Examining patterns of student participation in online discussion boards by Annie Hoekman BS
Examining patterns of student participation in online discussion boards by Annie Hoekman B.S., Kansas Wesleyan University, 2003 M.B.A., Kansas Wesleyan University, 2005 AN ABSTRACT OF A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Educational Leadership College of Education KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2017 Abstract This research examined the nature of the patterns of communication of discussion board users who were enrolled in undergraduate level online courses. For purpose of analysis, this study used Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework (1992). Data were collected from discussion board posts of eight undergraduate online courses that were offered by a small, private, religiously-affiliated, liberal arts university. An examination of these data was further informed by Garrison, Anderson, & Archer (1999) Community of Inquiry model. Using Garrison et al.’s ideas, the researcher described the nature of the interactions between students and faculty with respect to social, cognitive, and teaching presence in online discussion boards. The findings of this research suggest that understanding the presence of social, cognitive, and teaching presence as well as the nature of the patterns of communication in the discourse is important in developing quality distance education discussion boards. More specifically, they showed that evidence of social and teaching presence was regularly present in an examination of the online discussion boards. Conversely, the data showed very few examples of cognitive presence. Based upon the findings of this research, ideas for how constituents of online education can continue with and improve upon the practices found here relative to social and teaching presence as well as how to re-envision and improve upon cognitive presence and overall-intention for discussion boards were also offered. Examining patterns of student participation in online discussion boards by Annie Hoekman B.S., Kansas Wesleyan University, 2003 M.B.A., Kansas Wesleyan University, 2005 A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Educational Leadership College of Education KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2017 Approved by: Major Professor Dr. W. Franklin Spikes Copyright © Annie Hoekman 2017. Abstract This research examined the nature of the patterns of communication of discussion board users who were enrolled in undergraduate level online courses. For purpose of analysis, this study used Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework (1992). Data were collected from discussion board posts of eight undergraduate online courses that were offered by a small, private, religiously-affiliated, liberal arts university. An examination of these data was further informed by Garrison, Anderson, & Archer (1999) Community of Inquiry model. Using Garrison et al.’s ideas, the researcher described the nature of the interactions between students and faculty with respect to social, cognitive, and teaching presence in online discussion boards. The findings of this research suggest that understanding the presence of social, cognitive, and teaching presence as well as the nature of the patterns of communication in the discourse is important in developing quality distance education discussion boards. More specifically, they showed that evidence of social and teaching presence was regularly present in an examination of the online discussion boards. Conversely, the data showed very few examples of cognitive presence. Based upon the findings of this research, ideas for how constituents of online education can continue with and improve upon the practices found here relative to social and teaching presence as well as how to re-envision and improve upon cognitive presence and overall-intention for discussion boards were also offered. Table of Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. x Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ xi Dedication ..................................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1 - Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 1 Rationale for the Study ............................................................................................................... 5 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................ 6 Statement of Purpose .................................................................................................................. 6 Research Questions ..................................................................................................................... 7 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................................ 7 Limitations of the Study ............................................................................................................. 7 Assumptions of the Study ........................................................................................................... 8 Definitions .................................................................................................................................. 8 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 9 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2 - Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 11 An Overview of the Field of Adult Education in the United States ......................................... 11 The Early Colonial Period (1600-1779) ............................................................................... 11 The Period of the Civil War to World War I (1860-1920) ................................................... 13 The Period of the Modern Era (1921-1961) ......................................................................... 15 The Period of the Modern Era to Present (1960 – 2016) ...................................................... 18 Distance Education ............................................................................................................... 19 Community of Inquiry .............................................................................................................. 20 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 3 - Methodology .............................................................................................................. 31 Background ............................................................................................................................... 31 Purpose and Significance of this Study .................................................................................... 32 vi Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 33 Research Environment .............................................................................................................. 33 Data and Data Collection .......................................................................................................... 35 Courses ...................................................................................................................................... 35 Course 1 ................................................................................................................................ 36 Course 2 ................................................................................................................................ 36 Course 3 ................................................................................................................................ 37 Course 4 ................................................................................................................................ 38 Course 5 ................................................................................................................................ 39 Course 6 ................................................................................................................................ 39 Course 7 ................................................................................................................................ 40 Course 8 ................................................................................................................................ 41 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 42 Analysis Process ................................................................................................................... 46 Researcher’s Role ..................................................................................................................... 49 Subjectivity Statement .......................................................................................................... 50 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 52 Chapter 4 - Results ........................................................................................................................ 53 Synthesis ................................................................................................................................... 53 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 59 Chapter 5 - Conclusions and Implications .................................................................................... 60 Summary of the Research ......................................................................................................... 60 Discussion of the Findings ........................................................................................................ 63 Teaching Presence................................................................................................................. 63 Social Presence ..................................................................................................................... 65 Cognitive Presence ................................................................................................................ 67 Research Question 1 ............................................................................................................. 69 Research Question 2 ............................................................................................................. 71 Research Question 3 ............................................................................................................. 73 Implications and Future Research ............................................................................................. 75 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 76 vii References ..................................................................................................................................... 78 Appendix A - IPEDS Snapshot Enrollment Data ......................................................................... 85 Appendix B - IRB Letter of Approval – Kansas State University ................................................ 86 Appendix C - IRB Letter of Approval – Participating University ................................................ 87 Appendix D - Data Sample ........................................................................................................... 88 Appendix E - Holistic Codes from First Round Coding ............................................................... 89 Appendix F - Sample Analytic Memos ........................................................................................ 93 viii List of Figures Figure 1. Diagram of Community of Inquiry Framework ............................................................ 22 Figure 2. Fairclough’s Three-Dimensional Discourse Analysis Framework ............................... 45 ix List of Tables Table 1. Summary of Courses ....................................................................................................... 42 x
Description:The list of books you might like
