Browsing by Subject "communities of practice"
Item Communities of practice: the utility of web-based communication tools in assisting new, adult, online learners' transition to formal distance education(2009-05-15) Miller, Rene PatriciaInstitutions of higher education are harnessing the communication ability of the Internet to offer classes and academic degree programs. This study investigated adult students during their first semester in a distance delivered doctoral program. The purpose of the study was to examine the use of web-based communication tools and their ability to establish a community of practice enabling the new students to share solutions related to distance doctoral study. This case study included the entire cohort of a distance delivered Ed.D. in Agricultural Education administered jointly by Texas Tech and Texas A&M Universities. Data collection methods included a semi-structured telephone interview, containing an adapted Sense of Community Index and postings on a Wiki (editable web page). Data analysis produced a participants? profile and their use of web-based communication tools. This study found that (a) a variety of web-based tools enabled the students to connect with their cohort on a routine basis, (b) it is possible to establish a community of practice using a variety of web-based communication tools, (c) after one semester the cohort is an embryonic community of practice (d) the students were able to assist each other with concerns that helped them acclimate to learning online and their doctoral program, (e) students appreciate the flexibility that distance education offers but some prefer a traditional education, (f) students were frustrated with the technology during the first few weeks of their program, (g) new doctoral students desire instruction in the use of the course management system, the online library, and scholarly writing, (h) the students feel a strong sense of community, (i) use of web-based communication tools are vital as they assist in the student?s learning, (j) students felt isolated from their cohort until they participated in a group project even though they had the use of web-based communication tools at their disposal. The results of this study suggest that opportunities for students to engage socially with their peers should be built into the design of online classes and degree programs. Future research is recommended to examine the sustainability and desirability of virtual communities of practice.Item Ethnographic Studies of School Science and Science Communities(2012-07-16) Ayar, MehmetIn this dissertation I used the anthropological and sociocultural perspectives to examine the culture of school science and science communities. I conducted three independent studies. The first study is a meta-ethnography of three well-known case studies published in the literature. I analyzed these studies in order to identify the distinct characteristics of scientific communities and portray a picture of how science is practiced. The meta-ethnographic analysis reveals aspects of scientific practice that are insightful for the science educators and curriculum developers because these aspects are often neglected in school science even though they explain how science is done and accomplished in science communities. In the second study, I conducted an ethnographic research to explore the distinct characteristics of a scientific-engineering community. How the community members worked in collaboration as they conducted their research, how they negotiated and mutually agreed upon as they interacted and communicated with one and another and what they have learned through the process of these interactions were the units of the analyses. Findings reveal that the lead scientists' different working styles in the research center orchestrated learning and research. Ongoing communication and interdisciplinarity initiated collaborative partnerships with other communities and allowed the research groups to generate a shared repertoire to pursue the novelty in the process of knowledge generation. Mentorship was a catalyst for enculturation process, and it was on the trajectory of becoming an engineering university faculty. In the third study, I observed a science classroom over a period of time to explore the socio-cultural aspects of learning. I examined the social practices and the participants' interactions that establish and maintain participation, community, and meaning. In my analysis I investigated the extent to which students' participation and interaction formed a community of practice and fostered learning science. The three studies highlight the distinct characteristics of school science communities and science communities that are of importance for the efforts to better design learning environments. Translating the everyday activities of scientists and engineering researchers into school science communities can help enhance students' science learning experiences and cultivate a more informed understanding of science and engineering.Item Peripheral travelers: how American solo women backpackers participate in two communities of practice(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Tomaszewski, Lesley EleanorTo investigate the ways in which communities of practice affect individuals' identity development, qualitative research methods were used to understand the impact solo travel had on American women's identity development. A theoretical framework developed from the disciplines of tourism, feminism and adult education was used to inform the study. Using a combined method methods approach (naturalistic inquiry and grounded theory), three components of the backpacker community of practice were identified which gave rise to a model of identity development within a particular community. This study has implications for adult education theory as it clearly suggests the interrelatedness of the social context in which this learning takes place (communities of practice), and adult development theory (identity formation). In practical terms it illustrates and also challenges the notion of identity change as irreversible, suggesting learners need constant support to retain new ways of viewing the world and themselves.