How Students Experience Teach-One-Another

159 Pages·2017·0.57 MB·English

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Theses and Dissertations
2011-06-06
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Joshua Alan Holt
Brigham Young University - Provo
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Holt, Joshua Alan, "How Students Experience Teach-One-Another Activities in Online Courses at Brigham
Young University-Idaho" (2011). Theses and Dissertations. 2754.
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How Students Experience Teach One Another Activities
in Online Courses at Brigham Young University–Idaho

Joshua Alan Holt

A dissertation submitted to the faculty of
Brigham Young University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Charles R. Graham, Chair
David D. Williams
Russell T. Osguthorpe
Peter J. Rich
Randall S. Davies

Department of Instructional Psychology and Technology
Brigham Young University
June 2011

Copyright © 2011 Joshua Alan Holt
All Rights Reserved
ABSTRACT
How Students Experience Teach One Another Activities
in Online Courses at Brigham Young University–Idaho

Joshua Alan Holt
Department of Instructional Psychology and Technology
Doctor of Philosophy

As online learning enrollments rapidly increase, it is vital to explore effective course
designs that deepen students’ learning experiences. This multiple-case study explores four online
courses at Brigham Young University–Idaho that include learning activities where students
learned through Teach One Another activities. Teach One Another is similar to Reciprocal Peer
Learning where students simultaneously learn and contribute to their peers’ learning.

Findings across the cases of this study show that Teach One Another activities in online
courses encourage students to be accountable and motivated to complete individual course work
as well as group assignments. As students learn to build trusting learning relationships, group
activities may deepen students’ learning experiences. This study discusses implications for
online course designers, developers, and administrators who are interested in giving students
opportunities to deepen their learning of the content and develop life skills such as accountability,
responsibility, and trust.

Keywords: online learning, Brigham Young University–Idaho, reciprocal peer learning
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My thanks go first and foremost to my wife, Katie, who has been by my side encouraging
me with love and patience. Without her support and perseverance this ambition would have been
unfulfilled. I also thank my children, Sarah, Emma, and Dallin, for their endless optimism and
inspiring prayers on my behalf.
I also want to express my appreciation to my chair, Charles R. Graham, who always
provided hope and direction as he guided me along my path of discovery. I am very grateful to
all the members of my committee—David D. Williams, Russell T. Osguthorpe, Peter J. Rich,
Randall S. Davies—for their support and feedback throughout this effort.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii 
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ vii 
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 
Background ..................................................................................................................... 1 
The BYU–Idaho Learning Model ................................................................................... 3 
Reciprocal Peer Learning ................................................................................................ 4 
Statement of Problem and Purpose ................................................................................. 6 
Research Question .......................................................................................................... 7 
Literature Review................................................................................................................ 8 
The BYU–Idaho Learning Model and Teach One Another ............................................ 8 
Cooperative Learning Tradition .................................................................................... 10 
Peer Learning ................................................................................................................ 11 
Online Peer Learning Activities .................................................................................... 14 
Case Study Methodology .................................................................................................. 17 
Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 18 
Role of the Researcher .................................................................................................. 22 
Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 24 
Establishment of Trustworthiness ................................................................................. 28 
ENG 335 Case Findings.................................................................................................... 32 
Narrative ....................................................................................................................... 32 
Thematic Analysis ........................................................................................................ 39 
Instructor Perspective.................................................................................................... 44 
iv
Survey Information ....................................................................................................... 45 
FDMAT 108 Case Findings .............................................................................................. 48 
Narrative ....................................................................................................................... 49 
Thematic Analysis ........................................................................................................ 51 
Instructor Perspective.................................................................................................... 58 
Survey Information ....................................................................................................... 61 
FDREL 211 Case Findings ............................................................................................... 63 
Narrative ....................................................................................................................... 64 
Thematic Analysis ........................................................................................................ 66 
Instructor Perspective.................................................................................................... 69 
Survey Information ....................................................................................................... 72 
FDSCI 205 Case Findings ................................................................................................ 75 
Narrative ....................................................................................................................... 76 
Thematic Analysis ........................................................................................................ 79 
Instructor Perspective.................................................................................................... 86 
Survey Information ....................................................................................................... 87 
Cross-Case Comparison .................................................................................................... 89 
Encourage Accountability ............................................................................................. 89 
Build Trust .................................................................................................................... 93 
Deepen Learning ........................................................................................................... 95 
Student Frustrations .................................................................................................... 100 
Activity Designs .......................................................................................................... 102 
Discussion ....................................................................................................................... 109 
v
Connections to the Reciprocal Peer Learning Framework ......................................... 110 
Implications for Online Course Designers .................................................................. 113 
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 116 
References ....................................................................................................................... 119 
Appendix A: Brigham Young University–Idaho Mission Statement ............................. 126 
Appendix B: Brigham Young University–Idaho Learning Model, page one ................. 127 
Appendix C: Student Survey Questionnaire ................................................................... 128 
Appendix D: Student Guiding Interview Questions ....................................................... 132 
Appendix E: Instructor Guiding Interview Questions .................................................... 133 
Appendix F: ENG 335 Student Survey Results .............................................................. 134 
Appendix G: FDMAT 108 Student Survey Results ....................................................... 138 
Appendix H: FDREL 211 Student Survey Results ......................................................... 142 
Appendix I: FDSCI 205 Case Preparation Instructions .................................................. 146 
Appendix J: FDSCI 205 Student Survey Results ........................................................... 148 

vi
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Features of Teach One Another and Reciprocal Peer Learning.......................................5(cid:1)
Table 2 Case Name, Activity Name, Course Name, and Criteria.................................................20(cid:1)
Table 3 Case Analysis Process.....................................................................................................27(cid:1)
Table 4 ENG 335 Selected Survey Data (N=18)..........................................................................47(cid:1)
Table 5 FDMAT 108 Selected Survey Data (N=34).....................................................................62(cid:1)
Table 6 FDREL 211 Selected Survey Data (N=20)......................................................................74(cid:1)
Table 7 FDSCI 205 Selected Survey Data (N=28).......................................................................88(cid:1)

vii
Introduction
In an era of advancing technologies, most universities now offer classes or even complete
degree programs delivered fully online. The report Staying the course: Online education in the
United States claims that 22% of American college students took at least one web-based class in
the Fall 2007 semester, an increase of 13% from the Fall 2006 semester. Overall higher
education enrollment, however, increased by only one percent over the same time period (Alfred
P. Sloan Foundation, 2008). Student enrollments in online courses are expected to continue to
grow.
Recent economic conditions have many educational institutions trying to implement
online education as a cost-saving option for both the students and the university. As the demand
for online courses increases, universities are left scrambling to create and deliver courses that
meet the needs of the students. Developing an online program that meets the needs of a diverse
online student body and also meets the standards of a traditional university has many challenges.
This study will share some experiences of university students in recently-created online courses
that are designed to align with a university-wide model for learning that emphasizes student-to-
student interaction.
Background
Brigham Young University–Idaho (BYU–Idaho) distinguishes itself as a teaching
university. There are no graduate degrees conferred, no faculty rank, and all faculty carry a full-
time teaching load (Brigham Young University–Idaho, 2000). The university motto at BYU–
Idaho is “Rethinking Education.” The four-year, undergraduate-only university lauds itself as an
institution that focuses on improving teaching and learning while fulfilling the university mission
(see Appendix A). Thus BYU–Idaho is in the process of implementing a distinctive approach to
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developing and delivering online courses that is focused on student peers learning and teaching
each other.
In early 2009, Brigham Young University–Idaho announced a significant enrollment
expansion, a nearly 30% increase that relies almost exclusively on online class enrollments
(Brigham Young University–Idaho, 2009a). The BYU–Idaho online learning initiative will
require creating 140 new online courses to meet this anticipated student demand. Each course
will offer several online sections totaling approximately 100,000 student credit hours (Brigham
Young University–Idaho, 2008a). Other traditional institutions of higher education are also
adopting major online course enrollment initiatives. For example the Minnesota State Colleges
and Universities (MnSCU) recently announced a goal of having 25% of the MnSCU student
credits earned through online courses by 2015 (Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
system, 2008).
Key characteristics of the BYU–Idaho online learning experience for students that apply
to this study have been set forth (Brigham Young University–Idaho, 2008a):
• Online courses are developed by designated full-time BYU–Idaho faculty teams
working with a full-time curriculum development team.
• Online courses are built around the BYU–Idaho Learning Model principles and
process (Brigham Young University–Idaho, 2007).
• Teach One Another is a hallmark characteristic of BYU–Idaho online courses, with
significant personal contact in a course between students, their peers, and their
instructor.
• Online courses are cohort-based, meaning the students move together as a group
through a structured learning experience.
• Online courses are designed to have students work in groups of 10-15, with no more
than 60 students in a section.
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