In Situ Vision: The Student Experience of Collaborative Learning in a Virtual Drawing Class

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the construct of collaboration and the co-construction of knowledge in a distance learning drawing class. Distance learning drawing classes are rare, due to resistance by fine arts departments holding onto traditions that date back to Renaissance times. As a result, there is a paucity of literature on the subject. This multiple method study seeks an understanding of how students collaborate in critiques, form virtual communities and socially construct knowledge about learning how to draw. The study commences with the following three research questions: what <i> social processes</i> facilitate learning to draw from the perspective of the student in a computer mediated drawing class, what <i>factors</i> contribute to collaboration and the formation of a virtual learning community in a computer mediated drawing class as measured by the participative, interactive and social dimensions of a content analysis model, and how can the <i>phenomenon </i> of online collaboration be further delineated, defined or explained? The study consists of a grounded theory dimensional analysis of student and instructor interviews and a content analysis of discussion boards. Two core domains emerged from the dimensional analysis, <i>Visual Learning </i> and <i>Virtual Culture </i>. The content analysis located the frequency and quality of collaboration across three different discussion board forums; asynchronous critiques, synchronous critiques and asynchronous discussion topics. Triangulating the data resulted in three theoretical propositions: drawing is a visual medium, and students need to "see" demonstrations of the process and examples, virtual culture mediates collaboration and the co-construction of knowledge in critiques and finally, the inclusion of both synchronous and asynchronous tools provides students with balanced support for learning to draw. Literature from the domains of art education, distance learning pedagogy and virtual culture support an understanding of the research question. The results are demonstrated in a final model entitled <i> In Situ Vision </i>. The animated version of the model in this document requires a Flash player to view and plays on the page while reading. An author's video introduction accompanies this dissertation, presented in mp4 format. The electronic version of this Dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Leadership and Change

Grantor dc:publisher

Antioch University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Cohen, Annette

Contributors dc:contributor

• Holloway, Elizabeth

• Art Education
• Fine Arts
• Educational Technology
• Educational Leadership
• Higher Education
• grounded theory
• content analysis
• college students
• qualitative interviewing
• art students
• online education
• distance learning
• e-learning
• CSCL
• collaborative learning
• art critique
• synchronous asynchronous discussion

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1363112768

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:antioch1363112768