Exploring Graduate Student Identity in Online Introductions

• In Event: Highlighting Learner Experiences With Online Instruction

Abstract

This paper reports on multiple courses treated as case studies to understand the ways in which new students identify themselves in academic online spaces. More specifically, we performed linguistic analysis of graduate students’ self-introduction notes in asynchronous discussion forums, comparing ways in which students introduce themselves in a department-wide academic social space and in four online graduate courses. Differences were evident in the ways in which students described themselves in these spaces, especially with respect to their interests and cultural background. Instructor modelling and explicit statement of intent did not influence student introductions. Also, students expressed themselves better in the social space. These findings have design implications for inclusive learning pedagogies that affirm student identity.

Authors

• Preeti Raman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Dina Soliman, University of Toronto

• Jim Hewitt, OISE/University of Toronto