Exploring the Relations between Social Presence and Individual and Social/Shared Metacognition in Learners within a Global Graduate Online Programme

This thesis research is a qualitative case study that addressed online students and tutors in an international doctorate programme. The aim of this research project is to explore whether and how social presence and metacognition are related while devoting attention to the social aspect of the metacognitive process. Further, the thesis research aims at extracting practical insights in terms of online learning designs and theoretical insights regarding the development of the main concepts of the study. Data was collected using both individual and group semi-structured interviews with four tutors and ten students at the same online doctorate programme. The thematic analysis led to findings that support that, although a level of social presence was experienced by students and tutors, this level was not satisfactory for them. Indications of metacognition were present although socially shared metacognition was less evident. In general, participants expressed the belief that effective social presence supports deep learning outcomes such as metacognition. As for theoretical and practical insights, the findings support that identity performance is key to understanding social presence and the learning dynamics in online learning contexts. Furthermore, the findings led to the adoption of a new definition of social presence and some suggestions for online learning design

Leadership in the Virtual Higher Education Environment: Towards an Appropriate Model and Framework

Research into leadership in the higher education environment has traditionally mirrored business related constructs. Many of the models and instruments that have been developed for the business environment such as the transactional transformational leadership dyad have been transposed to the higher education environment with relatively minor adaptation. On the other hand, there has been relatively little exploration of leadership models for the Virtual Organisation. This research brings together the literatures of virtuality and the virtual organisation, leadership and higher education management to interrogate the effect of virtuality on leadership styles within the volatile global higher education environment caused by the liberalisation of the sector. Through a case study of a higher education institution (HEI) that is developing a virtual campus, the research explores the perceptions of leadership skills, competencies and behaviours within the virtual higher education environment to determine whether a new model or framework can be developed for a virtual and widely distributed environment. The data from interviews, surveys and focus groups carried out in the case study show that virtuality does impact leadership skills in nuanced ways, thus proposing a configuration of behaviours, skills and competencies more relevant to the virtual higher education environment. The proposed framework adds to the literature on leadership in higher education as well as leadership in the virtual environment and contributes to practice in the areas of recruitment and training of leaders and managers in the virtual higher education sector.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo