The Interplay Between Students' Usage of Pronouns and Community Levels in Online Courses

• In Event: 14.045 - Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: 14.045-21 - Community of Practice, Attitudinal Learning, Personal Learning Networks, and Community

Abstract

Identifying which online behaviours and interactions help foster a sense of community is needed to better support students’ online learning experience. However, there is a need for more research exploring student use of verbally immediate behaviours since current research focuses more on instructor behaviours. We explore the verbally immediate behaviour of pronouns and their usage within online courses. Specifically, we look at how students used pronouns within the posts that they make to their online course and how their pronoun usage relates to community level. Findings suggest that students from Low CCS courses and High CCS courses used pronouns differently but their usage seems to be influenced by the facilitation method adopted by the instructor.

Authors

• Carrie Demmans Epp, University of Alberta

• Krystle Phirangee, Ryerson University

• Jim Hewitt, OISE/University of Toronto