ERIC Number: EJ1119075
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2165-3151
EISSN: N/A
Beyond Coursework: Developing Communities in an Online Program of Study
Oakman, Jodi
Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice, v15 p167-179 2016
The nexus between paid work and study is important. Developing opportunities to facilitate this link is a key part of good course design especially in postgraduate programs. Strong communities of practice can also assist with improving links between research and practice. The online study environment affords some challenges to achieving these goals. The current study proposes that offering formalised interaction points--synchronous or asynchronous--during online study, is critical to facilitating the link between work and study. Twenty-five graduates of a postgraduate program were interviewed to explore their experiences of an online program of study. Three key themes emerged and are described in this paper: "engaging with study," "building a new framework for my practice," and "implementing changes to my practice." Online learning programs need to embed opportunities for interaction that are meaningful and allow for development of ideas and discussion, aiming to take learning beyond the program of study.
Descriptors: Online Courses, Communities of Practice, Interaction, Synchronous Communication, Asynchronous Communication, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Graduate Study, Interviews, College Graduates, Student Experience, Foreign Countries, Semi Structured Interviews, Attitude Measures
Informing Science Institute. 131 Brookhill Court, Santa Rosa, CA 95409. Tel: 707-531-4925; Fax: 480-247-5724; e-mail: contactus@informingscience.org; Web site: http://www.informingscience.org/Journals/JITEIIP/Overview
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A