Graduation Year
2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ed.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Language, Literacy, ED.D., Exceptional Education, and Physical Education
Major Professor
Deirdre Cobb-Roberts, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Veselina Lambrev, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Sanghoon Park, Ph.D.
Committee Member
John Mann, Ed.D.
Keywords
appreciative inquiry, community of inquiry, distance learning, narrative inquiry, online learning, sense of community
Abstract
This qualitative study will explore how MSW faculty describe a community in online courses and what strategies they use in fostering a sense of community within courses from an online Master of Social Work program at the University of South Florida. There is an imperative need to ensure online courses provide a sense of community to support students for success. During the timespan of an online course, strategic pedagogical approaches to fostering a community are essential to enriching the overall learning experience for students. Many studies tend to focus on the challenges faced when building an online community. Still, the goal of this study is to take an appreciative, strength-based approach to examine successful strategies. This study will employ narrative research techniques through in-depth interviews with instructors. The strategies examined in this study through narratives and an appreciative inquiry lens will enhance online discourse, engagement, and peer activities that foster a sense of community and connectedness.
Scholar Commons Citation
Anthony, Brittany D., "Fostering a Sense of Online Community: Faculty Reflections Through Narratives" (2023). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10023
