Eliminating Doctoral Deserts and Community Building Through Synchronous Telepresence

• In Event: Utilizing Telepresence for Distance Learning in Doctoral Programs: Perspectives, Affordances, and Challenges

Abstract

Objectives/Purposes

The purpose of this study was to analyze and reflect on my experience as a telepresence distance learner (TDL) in a rural, Western state and to compare my experiences in a traditional online graduate program and as a TDL. The research questions guiding this study are: How can doctoral programs create an engaging community of practice through the use of synchronous telepresence? How does this differ from traditional online delivery?

Theoretical Framework

Two theories were used to frame this study. The first was Wegner’s social theory of learning regarding communities of practice (CoP) (Lave & Wenger, 1991). The second is self-determination theory (SDT) that “identifies the classroom conditions that support and vitalize students’ inner motivational resources” (Reeve, 2012, p. 152). Together they address the behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic conditions needed for a learner to be an engaged participant in the learning process.

Mode of Inquiry

Having lived the experience of being a TDL not because of medical necessity (Schmucker, 2020), but because of lack of educational opportunity, I have the perspective as the subject of the research and as the researcher. Therefore, my study is an autoethnography. To analyze the qualitative data sources, coding was established, and themes were derived using thematic analysis (Nowell et al., 2017). Juxtaposing my traditional graduate-level online platforms with the TDL experience allowed me to reflect on the four tenets of engagement (Reeve, 2012, p. 151) and the similarities and differences as related to their impact on CoPs in a doctoral program.

Data Sources

Reflection is essential in the field of education and acknowledges current learning as well as impacts on future learning (Castleberry et al., 2016). Additionally, writing about significant metacognition is an essential part of an autoethnography. The data analyzed included course reflections as a TDL, experience reflections from the distance and face-to-face environments, individual reflective entries, and conversation notes between myself, residential students, faculty, and other TDLs.

Conclusions

Doctoral opportunities were limited for me because of the rural nature of my state of residency. Having participated in traditional online learning and having commuted to receive other higher education degrees, I was seeking something different for doctoral study. The cohort model, emphasis on building a CoP within cohort, and rigorous and engaging course content created the four conditions needed to support student self-determination.

Scholarly Significance

Many educational deserts exist across the United States (Klasik et al., 2018). However, telepresence offers technology that can prevent intellectual drought for students in rural and other settings who lack access to educational opportunity. Telepresence offers a viable technology to increase access to graduate education that might result in improve educational outcomes and even prevent brain drain in rural areas. Furthermore, since TDL embeds students in live classes and engages students within a CoP, the conditions for student self-determination are more easily achieved than in online programs. Although more research is needed, these realities may result in increased doctoral persistence and degree completion.

Author

• Eliza Anne Thomas, Flathead Valley Community College