| As online learning continues to gain popularity and acceptance in higher education, researchers are turning their attention to the search for evidence of learning, and in doing so, they are finding the transcripts of asynchronous computer conferences to be rich sources of data. The analysis of these data, however, becomes problematic due to the lack of appropriate tools for studying asynchronous discourse.; This is a study of asynchronous online learning in the context of a professional, online master's program for teachers. 4 questions guided this study: What kinds of discourse interactions do learners engage in when participating in asynchronous online dialogue? Which of these discourse interactions, if any, are associated with student knowledge construction? What are the indicators of these interactions? Is it possible to distinguish reliably among kinds of discourse interactions associated with student learning?; To answer these questions, this researcher analyzed four conversation threads generated in the Online Master of Arts in Educational Technology (OMAET) program at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.; 2 original rubrics were created to analyze (a) the intended audience and (b) the discourse function of these asynchronous messages. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 8 of the 23 members of the class to better understand the context of the messages. Despite achieving strong interrater reliability, the coders of the newsgroup messages were unable to discern subtle indictors of Discourse Function within the Argumentation/Disagreement category.; From this study, the following conclusions were drawn: (a) The accurate coding of conversation threads requires that messages be considered as connected parts of a larger narrative rather than as discrete units of meaning. (b) The practice of dialogic writing within Asynchronous Communities of Practice helps students to learn by allowing them to clarify their thoughts and test ideas, although tangible evidence of learning may not be present in the written discourse. Asynchronous transcripts cannot capture the more elusive social elements of online learning such as "back rooming." (d) Storytelling figured prominently in the academic threads and more research is needed on the relationship between storytelling and learning in online contexts. |
