Date of Award

Summer 2019

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Christopher Bogiages

Abstract

Using a phenomenological approach, this action research study explored the influence of social presence (Garrison et al., 2000) on the achievement of students who were enrolled in Electronics, a two-year college course. Social presence was facilitated through the use and study of reciprocal teaching (Green, 2000), a collaborative learning strategy that has the potential to foster the development of social presence and is inherently culturally responsive (Gay, 2010). Qualitative data were generated through interviews with students, practitioner reflective notes, and classroom observations during the intervention. Analysis and interpretation of the data indicated student-participants had positive experiences during the intervention and reciprocal teaching fostered thoughtful discourse about the content being taught as well as supported student-participants in learning from and with each other. The implications of these findings for college instructors and administrators, particularly in adult education, two-year college or historical black colleges and universities (HBCUs) settings, are discussed.

Rights

© 2019, Sherisse G. Jackson

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