This paper uses qualitative methods to chronicle the journey of 26 students, a lead professor and tutorial assistant through a 12 week online course.
Qualitative research approaches based on narrative methodology and story-telling are effective means through which theoretical constructs such as adult education can be observed. Several authors, (Schon, 1987; Kilbourn, 1998; Eisner, 1998; Hunt 1987) discuss various facets of using these qualitative research methods to assess learning from the perspective of stories told by the self. A common thread among these authors is the knowledge of self as a professional practitioner through reflection on learning.
Literature on narrative study reveals that this kind of writing is an appropriate method to make connections that transform our knowledge as teachers. It is by examining the stories of individual teachers in the context of their
environments, digital or otherwise, that we can gain insight into the professional expertise of teachers.
The challenge of creating an online community given the short synchronous amount of time in class was daunting. Each week students and instructors submitted and shared a “digital moment” through pods in adobe connect. These digital moments could represent an emotion, a moment from their week, a quotation, you-tube clip or art work. While the technique was simple, it was an extremely effective way to create online community. Digital moments allowed the participants and the instructors to share their stories, to bring their humanity to the learning environment in a safe and respectful way. Each person sharing a digital moment was telling their narrative, a method of educational qualitative inquiry that has a long history in educational research.
8 Digital Moments Oct 2013