Date of Award

6-2014

Document Type

Undergraduate Capstone Project

Degree Name

Ed.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

First Advisor

Kent Seidel, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Susan Korach, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Rebecca McClure

Keywords

Adult learning theory, Blended learning, Ways of knowing

Abstract

The following is a report on the content analysis of threaded discussion boards from three blended learning cohorts. The purpose of the content analysis was to determine whether an individual’s way of knowing (WoK), or epistemology, could be perceived through a content analysis of historical data in the form of online threaded discussion boards. The research question in this content analysis was “What ways of knowing emerge from online discussion threads within a yearlong university cohort?”

The researcher used a priori coding scheme based on the literature surrounding WoK to explore the online threaded discussions of three blended learning cohorts. Coding data was then analyzed for individual cohort member results as well as trends within and between cohorts. With minimal exceptions, the cohorts remained intact with the same facilitators during the yearlong, four-quarter program. The continuity in participants yielded results across four consecutive quarters of the university program, with one cohort starting at a different time. Discussion and recommendations for further research are presented at the end of this report.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.



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