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Identity presence and knowledge building: Joint emergence in online learning environments?

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Abstract

This study examined the presence of identity in diverse online courses and explored how presence of identity correlated with content and students’ participation in online discussion and hence knowledge building in online educational spaces. Epistemic and participation data regarding online interaction and knowledge building were collected from a diverse group of students enrolled in seven multi-disciplinary online courses. Both qualitative and quantitative findings of the study suggested that online discussions with identity presence were associated with more follow-up participation and reinforced a more dialogic online interaction. Identity presence was also correlated with online interactions of knowledge sharing and egocentric elaboration.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Spencer Foundation [#200800124].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida State University, 3205-C Stone Building, Tallahassee, FL, 32306–4453, USA

    Fengfeng Ke

  2. Educational Leadership and Organizational Learning, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Alicia F. Chávez

  3. Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Pei-Ni L. Causarano & Antonio Causarano

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  1. Fengfeng Ke
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  2. Alicia F. Chávez
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  4. Antonio Causarano
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Correspondence to Fengfeng Ke.

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Ke, F., Chávez, A.F., Causarano, PN.L. et al. Identity presence and knowledge building: Joint emergence in online learning environments?. Computer Supported Learning 6, 349–370 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11412-011-9114-z

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