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A Case Study of the Technical Communication & Rhetoric PhD Program at Texas Tech University

Matt Norsworthy HEOC 803 Dissertation Prospectus. A Case Study of the Technical Communication & Rhetoric PhD Program at Texas Tech University. Chapter 1. Introduction. Problem Statement.

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A Case Study of the Technical Communication & Rhetoric PhD Program at Texas Tech University

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  1. Matt Norsworthy HEOC 803 Dissertation Prospectus A Case Study of the Technical Communication & Rhetoric PhD Program at Texas Tech University

  2. Chapter 1 Introduction

  3. Problem Statement Technology has reached a point where computer use is more of a degree of literacy than an alternate skill. While Higher Education has changed significantly with the advancement of technology, it has not fully embraced the possibilities in distance and digital education. Distance education has incorporated online degree programs from the associate’s level on through to PhD and doctoral level studies. However, this is not as prevalent at the PhD level as it could be, and certainly not in the humanities. There is an entrepreneurial element that is missing from many of our institutions in higher education with regards to trying new systems of instruction and learning through the rapid advancements of technology and course delivery. For instance, in 2009, U.S. News & World Report ranked 149 doctoral programs in English in the United States (Morse, 2011). None of these programs offered online PhD programs in English Literature.

  4. There has been very little research, if any, into the possibilities and effectiveness of an online PhD program in English Literature, or the rest of the Humanities. Based on the 149 institutions in the US offering a PhD in English Literature, there is likely to be a large percentage of potential candidates who are not able to attend English classes at a traditional PhD granting institution. Whether there is a problem attending classes in a traditional PhD program because of geography, career obligations, or family commitments, online PhD programs in the Humanities would certainly offer greater access to more graduate students through innovation and technology. New technologies and tools are available and being used on a global basis allowing for interaction and communication between students and teachers worldwide. Various systems of course delivery, student-faculty communication, electronic texts, video, and other multi-media, can be used to develop a completely online doctoral-level degree program in the humanities.

  5. The Purpose Statement The purpose of this study is to examine the student learning experiences in a PhD program in Technical Communication and Rhetoric delivered online along with the student learning experiences in the same program offered in a traditional classroom format at the same institution.

  6. Research Questions • Other than the format of course delivery, what is different between the programs? • “How does the effectiveness of online learning compare with that of face-to-face instruction” (USDE, 2010, p. xi)? • What are some best practices students have developed in the online program? • “What practices are associated with more effective online learning” (USDE, 2010, p. xi)? • What bearing does the two-week residency have on the student learning experience in the online program? • “What conditions influence the effectiveness of online learning” (USDE, 2010, p. xi)? • What are the perceptions of the students in both the traditional and the online programs? • What are the faculty perceptions of the student learning taking place in both formats?

  7. Significance of the Study The research that is out there and the online graduate degree programs that already exist indicate that an online PhD in a Humanities field “can” be done. The program in Technical Communication & Rhetoric (TCR) at Texas Tech University is one of the only PhD programs in the humanities that is offered in both a traditional classroom format and in an online/low-residency format. Therefore, conducting a case study to examine the two versions of the same graduate degree program with the same curriculum offered in the two formats would contribute significant data and literature to the plausibility of other online PhD programs in the humanities.

  8. This case study could also add significant information on best practices and measures to take in successfully offering a graduate degree program in the humanities online that mirrors the same program in a traditional classroom format. The findings of this study could help both administrators and faculty in establishing an online graduate program, teaching and supervising students, and in growing the program and/or other programs in the online format. Understanding what the pros/cons or strengths/weaknesses of the TCR programs are at Texas Tech could lead to more research and practical use of the data in the further development of online higher education.

  9. This study could provide significant research and literature with regards to policy administration and development. Learning more about what has worked and not worked at Texas Tech University can help administrators better understand what it takes to develop online graduate degree programs in the humanities at their institutions. Those administrators who already have a traditional PhD program in the humanities can use the data for establishing an online program offering. Those with online undergraduate degree programs in the humanities can gain insight into the potential for offering graduate degree programs online in these fields. Studying and learning from this case study at Texas Tech University will contribute significantly to the literature available for other institutions, in the US and abroad, to better understand the processes, best practices, and applications of an online graduate degree program offered online.

  10. Chapter 2 Review of the Literature

  11. Review of Literature Many colleges and universities offer online doctoral level degree programs, and there is research supporting the need for increased use of technology in distance education graduate programs going back to studies like Rhonda Martin Eppers’, “Coordination and Competition in Postsecondary Distance Education: A Comparative Case Study of Statewide Policies” (1997). Eppers pointed out an issue in higher education that is still going on today when she stated: Faculty and administrators, preserving their market niche or carving out new ones, search for the proper balance between face-to-face and technology- enhanced instruction. While institutions wrestle with the appropriate place and use of technology, state governments press them to accommodate more students at a lower cost (1997, p. 551).

  12. There has been research into various subjects and sub-topics related to this research problem. Research has been done on the use of technology in teaching English Composition online in “full e-mersion pedagogy” at the undergraduate level (Juzwiak and Tiernan, 2009). One project joined graduates students from a writing course with graduate students from a reading course in virtual communities to discuss the processes of reading and writing (Richards, 2007). The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article on a professor’s use of tablet computers in grading his student’s writing in his English course at City College of New York (Foster, 2005). A literature review was published on the “E-Mentoring Possibilities for Online Doctoral Students,” which should prove to be quite useful to this problem research (Columbaro, 2009). In terms of the overall implementation of distance learning programs, a study was done on whether e-learning policy drives change in higher education (de Freitas and Oliver, 2005). In addition, Susan Peterson Thomas (2005) conducted a study for her dissertation entitled, “An Investigation of the Mission, Vision, Funding Strategies and Student Services for Distance Learning in Land Grant and State Universities,” which would provide guidance for the process and policies relevant to establishing distance education programs in the average land grant and state university.

  13. Another aspect of online courses as compared to traditional courses is the quality of assessment that can be given to students in both formats. Ronald Yates and Ryan Beaudrie conducted a quantitative study on the quality of assessment in online math courses at the College of Southern Nevada (2009). Their study found that there was no significant difference between traditional and online grades based on the assessment tools in the math courses, which would be a good basis for similar hypothesis and study in an English program (Yates and Beaudrie, 2009). The social interaction and student learning environment in an online course or program is also an area of concern and study. Yu-fen Yang, Hui-Chin Yeh, and Wing-Kwong Wong recently published a study, “The Influence of Social Interaction on Meaning Construction in a Virtual Community,” in which the researchers found that, the peer review process provides additional benefits compared to simply submitting a final draft (Yang, Yeh, and Wong, 2010). Jean Darcy, Joan Dupre, and Michele Cuomo (2010) published an article on an ePortfolio course program that is being used quite successfully to combine core courses like reading and writing with elective courses like nursing, education, and acting in a virtual learning community at Queensborough Community College in New York. These two articles further support the success of collaboration between students and faculty in an online course or program, particularly in terms of reading and writing skills at the college level.

  14. Trevor Heath conducted a quantitative study on supervision in PhD programs in order to analyze the graduate students’ perspective (2002). Then in 2007, Tricia Vilkinas conducted a similar study from the faculty perspective in her, “An Exploratory Study of the Supervision of Ph.D./Research Students’ Theses” (2008). These two reports give perspectives from both sides of the student-faculty relationship in a PhD program that could help in developing best practices and recommendations for supervisory relationships in an online PhD program in English. Dr. AnnelieRugg (2012), Director of the Digital Humanities and CIO at UCLA, believes that it is definitely possible for a successful online degree program in the humanities, as long as there is plenty of organization, particularly for faculty accustomed to teaching in traditional classrooms. Dr. Rugg (2012) added that synchronous lectures on a weekly basis to help maintain a collaborative spirit in the courses. This system of synchronous lectures are used in the online TCR PhD program at Texas Tech University.

  15. The US Department of Education published a revised report, “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies,” in 2010 stating that, “Students in online conditions performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction” (p. xiv). Recently, the report, “Interactive Learning Online at Public Universities: Evidence From Randomized Trials,” (Bowen, et. al., 2012) found that students learn just as much in hybrid courses as they do in traditional courses. The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that, “Some experts advocate online classes as a way to deliver courses more economically and effectively” (Mangan, May 22, 2012, p.1). Inside Higher Ed also reported that, “Without diminishing learning outcomes, automated teaching software can reduce the amount of time professors spend with students and could substantially reduce the cost of instruction, according to new research” (Kolowich, May 22, 2012, p.1).

  16. Chapter 3 Proposed Methodology

  17. Type of Design • Research Perspective: Qualitative • Type: Case Study A case study of the TCR PhD program at Texas Tech University would provide data on the student learning experiences in the online (with an annual residency) and in the traditional classroom delivery of the same PhD program at one university. This study could provide data that recognizes the strengths and weaknesses, best practices, and learning experiences of both the online program and the traditional classroom program. Learning more about this program at this institution through a case study would provide valuable data collected from student interviews, documentation, and potentially, faculty focus group interviews, which would prove to be valuable to higher education in the US and abroad. Understanding the learning experiences in the two delivery formats would provide literature that could be used in the development of more online PhD programs in the humanities.

  18. Population: Students and Faculty relevant to the Technical Communication & Rhetoric PhD Program. • Site: Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas

  19. Sampling Procedures: Sampling will be conducted purposefully in selecting students, faculty, and administrators involved with both the traditional and online delivery of the TCR PhD program. Maximal variation sampling will be conducted in order to include participants involved with the traditional classroom program and the online. In addition, the researcher will want to sample students, faculty, and administration from both forms of the PhD program. However, there will be some snowball and opportunistic sampling conducted as names and contacts are discovered through interviews. In addition, there will be snowball and opportunistic sampling conducted as access is given or allowed by Texas Tech University in terms of current students, faculty, and administrators, as well as alumni of the TCR PhD program.

  20. Data Collection: Data collection will consist of interviews with students in order to collect information from the student perspective in relation to the TCR PhD program at Texas Tech University. Ideally, interviews will be conducted with 5-7 students from the traditional classroom program, and 5-7 students will be interviewed from the online program. This will allow the researcher to compare and describe the learning experiences of the students in each format of the PhD program. The data collected from the interviews will be the basis for the study in providing new research and literature on PhD programs in the humanities in both a traditional and online format.

  21. Data will also be collected in the form of available documentation, if provided by the institution, department, faculty, or students. This documentation may be in the form of any statistics relevant to enrollment trends in both the traditional or the online programs. In addition, any samples of work completed by students may be collected by the researcher. Lastly, focus group interviews may be conducted with faculty members if determined to be beneficial to the study after interviewing students. The data collected from the focus group interviews could be used to learn more about experiences, best practices, and student learning from the faculty perspective in comparison to the student perspective. The groups would be set up in terms of faculty members teaching in the traditional PhD program, the online PhD program, and those teaching in both formats of the PhD program.

  22. After researching the availability of online PhD programs in the humanities, the Technical Communication & Rhetoric PhD program at Texas Tech University was found to be the only program available in an online format. Research was conducted through U.S. News and World Reports (2009), Peterson’s (2011) guide, the US Department of Education (2012), and the College Board (2012), and even with the annual two-week residency requirement, this program is the only one in the US that is provided primarily online. Therefore, data collected in this case study would provide new research and literature for other institutions to provide online PhD programs in the humanities fields.

  23. Bibliography Big future - college search. (2012). The College Board. Retrieved July 25, 2012, from https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search Bowen, W.G., Chingos, M.M., Lack, K.A. & Nygren, T.I. (May 2012). Interactive learning online at public universities: evidence from randomized trials. New York: Ithaka S+R. Retrieved May 29, 2012, from http://www.sr.ithaka.org/research-publications/interactive-learning-online-public-universities-evidence-randomized-trials College navigator. (2012). U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved July 25, 2012, from http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ Columbaro, N.L. (2009). E-mentoring possibilities for online doctoral students: a literature review. Adult Learn. 20 no 3/4. 9-15. Darcy, J., Dupre, J., and Cuomo, M. (Oct. 2010). An ePortfolio virtual learning community within a traditional classroom space: the student in a global social networking community. HETS Online Journal. 1:1, 41-60. de Freitas, S. and Oliver, M. (March 2005). Does e-learning policy drive change in higher education?: A case study relating models of organizational change to e-learning implementation. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management. 27( 1) , 81–95. Distance learning programs and distance education opportunities. (2011). Peterson’s. Retrieved July 25, 2012, from http://www.petersons.com/college-search/distance-education.aspx Eppers, R. M. (Sept. – Oct. 1997). Coordination and competition in postsecondary distance education: a comparative case study of statewide policies. The Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 68, No. 5, pp. 551-587. Foster, A. L. (June 24 2005). Mark Essays Electronically: A Professor Uses Tablet PC's in a Composition Course. The Chronicle of Higher Education. B18. Heath, T. (2002). A quantitative analysis of phd students’ views of supervision. Higher Education Research & Development, Vol. 21, No. 1.

  24. Bibliography Juzwiak, C. and Tiernan, M. (2009). Pedagogies of visibility: the full e-mersion and beyond. New Directions for Community Colleges. 145. Wiley Periodicals. Kolowich, S. (May 22, 2012). Score one for the robo-teachers. Insider Higher Ed. Retrieved May 29, 2012, from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/05/22/report-robots-stack-human-professors-teaching-intro-stats Mangan, K. (May 22, 2012). Study shows promise and challenges of ‘hybrid’ courses. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved May 29, 2012, from http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/study-shows-promise-and-challenges-of-hybrid-courses/36350 Morse, R. (2011 March 14). Social sciences and humanities rankings methodology. U.S. News & World Report, Retrieved May 11, 2011, from http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2011/03/14/social-sciences-and-humanities-rankings-methodology-2012 Richards, J.C. (2007). Promoting conversations about reading/writing connections: graduate education student’s discourse in virtual communities of interest. Journal of Reading Education. 33(1), 19-28 Rugg, A. (personal interview transcription). February 2, 2012. Texas Tech University. (n.d.). Doctor of Philosophy in Technical Communication and Rhetoric. Retrieved on 5/12/2011, from http://www.depts.ttu.edu/distancelearning/doctoral/technical-communication/ Thomas, S.P. (2005). An Investigation of the Mission, Vision, Funding Strategies and Student Services for Distance Learning in Land Grant and State Universities. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.

  25. Bibliography U.S. Department of Education. (2006). A test of leadership: charting the future of U.S. higher education (Pre-Publication Copy September 2006) (ED-06-C0-0013). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from http://benedictine.learntoday.info/AngelUploads/Content/HEOC-705-D4A1/_assoc/41714CFE70ED45499D40337A0F6B658C/Test_of_Leadership_2_.pdf U.S. Department of Education. (2010). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: a meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. (ED-04-CO-0040). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved July 24, 2012, from http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf Vilkinas, T. (2007). An exploratory study of the supervision of ph.d./research students’ theses. Innovative Higher Education. 32:297–311. Yang, Y.F., Yeh, H.C., and Wang, W.K. (2010). The influence of social interaction on meaning construction in a virtual community. British Journal of Educational Technology. 4:2, 287-306. Yates, R.W. and Beaudrie, B. (2009). The impact of online assessment on grades in community college distance education mathematics courses. The American Journal of Distance Education. 23: 62–70. Retrieved on 5/25/2011, from ERIC.

  26. Literature Matrix

  27. Literature Matrix

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