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33
interactions among students. However, it is important to note, the cohort model for online classes may be difficult to replicate in a community college setting. Online Social Presence Barriers While social presence is strongly related to online interaction (Gunawardena & Zittle, 1997), the online environment presents challenges for faculty in creating a sense of social presence for students (Plante & Asselin, 2014). Moreover, online faculty are also challenged to create interactions that promote a sense of belonging and a sense of community (Plante & Asselin, 2014). Many instructors lack the training and understanding to make social presence reflect the culture and ethnicity of their students (Dzubinski, 2014).
Online instructors and students are in different locations, and there is a propensity to feel a lack of social connection with other learners and instructors. Oztok (2013) cautioned that the reliance on asynchronous threaded discussions, without the opportunity to interact and form relationships beyond the academic content, may cause the online learning environment to become an “impoverished form of socialization” (p. 25). The non-verbal and visual cues that are available in a face-to-face classroom are not available in an online learning environment (Plante & Asselin, 2014). Thus, the asynchronicity element of online learning may present a barrier for African-American/Black student’s academic success. However, emerging video conferencing tools have aided in enhancing social presence in an online environment (Soper & Ukot, 2016). High student engagement is important to the success of many African-American/Black and Latinx students (Greene et al., 2008). Additionally, social interaction with the teacher and other learners has an impact on motivating students’ efforts to learn as well as improving their satisfaction with online courses (Cobb, 2011).
Object Description
| Title | African-American/Black students’ experience and achievement in asynchronous online learning environments at a community college |
| Author | Whitaker, Tammara |
| Author email | tammarawhit@gmail.com;tammaraw@usc.edu |
| Degree | Doctor of Education |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Educational Leadership |
| School | Rossier School of Education |
| Date defended/completed | 2020-07-10 |
| Date submitted | 2020-08-05 |
| Date approved | 2020-08-06 |
| Restricted until | 2020-08-06 |
| Date published | 2020-08-06 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Tambascia, Tracy |
| Abstract | This qualitative study explored the experiences and perspectives of African-American/Black community college students in asynchronous online learning environments. This study was guided through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Despite the growing number of African-American/Black students enrolling in California community colleges and online courses, there is little known regarding the online learning experiences of this student population. Furthermore, African-American/Black students have poor academic outcomes in online courses in the California community colleges. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 15 African-American/Black students who completed at least one asynchronous online course at a community college in Southern California. The study found that African-American/Black students in asynchronous online learning environments had limited interaction with their peers in the course. Furthermore, the participants used many on-campus support services and were not aware or did not utilize the online support services offered by the college. The participants also highlighted the importance of family, faculty, and counselor support throughout their academic journey. The study offers recommendations to improve the online student experience of racially minoritized students, specifically African-American/Black students, in asynchronous online learning environments at a community college. |
| Keyword | distance education; online learning, asynchronous online learning; asynchronous online learning environments; community college; online learning experience; California community college; African American online student; ecological systems theory |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Whitaker, Tammara |
| Physical access | The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given. |
| Repository name | University of Southern California Digital Library |
| Repository address | USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 7002, 106 University Village, Los Angeles, California 90089-7002, USA |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-WhitakerTa-8891.pdf |
| Archival file | Volume13/etd-WhitakerTa-8891.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 43 |
| Full text | 33 interactions among students. However, it is important to note, the cohort model for online classes may be difficult to replicate in a community college setting. Online Social Presence Barriers While social presence is strongly related to online interaction (Gunawardena & Zittle, 1997), the online environment presents challenges for faculty in creating a sense of social presence for students (Plante & Asselin, 2014). Moreover, online faculty are also challenged to create interactions that promote a sense of belonging and a sense of community (Plante & Asselin, 2014). Many instructors lack the training and understanding to make social presence reflect the culture and ethnicity of their students (Dzubinski, 2014). Online instructors and students are in different locations, and there is a propensity to feel a lack of social connection with other learners and instructors. Oztok (2013) cautioned that the reliance on asynchronous threaded discussions, without the opportunity to interact and form relationships beyond the academic content, may cause the online learning environment to become an “impoverished form of socialization” (p. 25). The non-verbal and visual cues that are available in a face-to-face classroom are not available in an online learning environment (Plante & Asselin, 2014). Thus, the asynchronicity element of online learning may present a barrier for African-American/Black student’s academic success. However, emerging video conferencing tools have aided in enhancing social presence in an online environment (Soper & Ukot, 2016). High student engagement is important to the success of many African-American/Black and Latinx students (Greene et al., 2008). Additionally, social interaction with the teacher and other learners has an impact on motivating students’ efforts to learn as well as improving their satisfaction with online courses (Cobb, 2011). |
