The Effect Different Synchronous Computer Mediums Have on Distance Education Graduate Students\u27 Sense of Community and Feelings of Loneliness

Because distance education is such a rapidly developing educational venue, knowing what factors impact success must be known. Loneliness and sense of connectedness, or community, are issues facing graduate distance education students. These issues may influence retention. The theoretical framework of a Community of Practice assisted in understanding the development of community using computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems. The research questions answered included whether the type of synchronous CMC used (text- or video-based) could impact loneliness and community from a distance. An experimental design (randomized subjects, control group, posttest only) was used with distance education graduate students to address the research questions. Hypotheses were not supported. Qualitative analysis of open-ended questions found support for development of community

A Predictive Model for TCK Identity Development: What Role Do Faith Development and Religious Motivation Play?

This study examines the predictive association of 86 Third Culture Kids’ (TCK) faith development, religious commitment, and identity development statuses. TCKs’ low levels of faith development and religious motivation were associated with lower levels of identity statuses while TCKs’ achieved identity statuses were associated with high levels of faith development and religious motivation. The results of the direct logistical regression revealed that the full model containing the two predictor variables (intrinsic religious motivation and faith stage) significantly predicted identity achievement status. The model accounted for between 18.7% and 29.2% of the variance in identity status. It correctly classified 83.7% of the cases

Connecting Online: Can Social Networking and other Technology Support Doctoral Connectedness?

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of online doctoral students’ interactions via peer initiated and university initiated technology on their sense of connectedness. The participants of this study were 132 doctoral candidates enrolled in an online Doctor of Education program located in the United States. Findings from this study suggest a non-significant relationship between student interaction via the university sponsored Facebook page and sense of connectedness between peers and faculty; however, candidates who used social networking technologies to interact with peers outside of the classroom reported a higher sense of connectedness than those who did not. Candidates who used web-based communication technologies such as Skype, Facebook, and Twitter demonstrated a stronger sense of connectedness with their peers than those who chose to interact with peers via the phone or e-mail; however, the frequency of these interactions did not influence the candidates’ feeling of connectedness