Research Codebook For Non-formal Virtual Learning Communties, V 2.0

Codebook – NFSDL Program of Research Jaymie Koroluk Richard Schwier Dirk Morrison Ben Daniel Virtual Learning Communities Research Lab September 21, 2009 – version 2.0 Researchers may use this codebook under the provisions of a Creative Commons Attribution License – Canada 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) This codebook is under continuing revision. Please refer to version numbers, and employ the most current version available.

Catalysts: States, traits and actions that energize community or that are prerequisite to its development. Code: Catalysts > Alignment

Operational Definition: Individuals shifting positions or opinions to move toward closer agreement.

Example:

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Catalysts > Awareness A Catalyst that includes knowledge of people, tasks environment - or some combination of these. Catalysts > Awareness > Concept Awareness

awareness of how a particular activity or piece of knowledge fits into an individual’s existing knowledge.

Catalysts > Awareness > Social Awareness

Awareness that people have about the social connections within the group. Expressing and reflecting on the nature of roles and relationships among group members.

Code: Catalysts > Awareness > Task Awareness

Operational Definition: Awareness of how a shared task will be completed.

Catalysts > Awareness > Workspace Awareness

Sensitivity to the context, and what is appropriate or inappropriate in a particular work setting.

Catalysts > Engagement

Confronting or exploring ideas, people, resources and processes first presented by someone else in the group.

Catalysts > Interaction

Interplay or activity with others without deep

Example:

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engagement.

Elements: Features that arise or that are manifest in communities. Code: Elements > Autonomy

Operational Definition: Individuals have the capacity and authority to conduct discourse and share information freely, or withdraw from discourse or choose not to share information without penalty.

Elements > Historicity

Communities develop their own history and culture. Items coded as history would include specific references to the history of the community or the history of the emphasis of that community.

Elements > Identity

The boundaries of the community - its identity or recognized focus. Items coded "identity" would refer to the boundaries of the community -- who is in and who might be excluded.

Example:

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Code: Elements > Intensity

Operational Definition Active engagement, open discourse, and a sense of importance or urgency in discussion, critique and argumentation.

Example:

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Elements > Learning Process An Element that includes formal or informal, yet purposeful, learning processes/activities by members of the community.

Elements > Learning Process > Incidental Learning processes or activities related to the public, central purposes or intentions of the community. Elements > Learning Process > Incidental > Agreement

Explicitly agreeing with a point or position taken by another member of the group. May also be an indication of "Alignment."

Elements > Learning Process > Incidental > Disagreement

One participant challenging the comments of another with or without supporting evidence.

“I disagree (and my stomach is actually in knots ... because I HATE doing so virtually). ;o) As a group we discussed the concepts of "perceived trajectories"

Code: Elements > Learning Process > Incidental > Observations

Operational Definition Analyzing or expressing opinions about a specific situation or item of discourse.

Example: “If a community views a person as being an insider, but the person sees him/herself moving on an outward trajectory that could be quite devastating for the group. The unexpected change in the dynamics of the community could potentially undermine the cohesiveness of the group. It could result in other members questioning their own membership. It could cause members to question the commitment of others."

Elements > Learning Process > Incidental > Peer-support

Providing or requesting for help.

“………, I may need your assistance with the authorware program :-)”

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Code: Elements > Learning Process > Incidental > Reflection

Operational Definition Considering experiences, postings in previous discussions, or situating current discussions in previous events.

Example: “This reminds me of a time when I was trying to find out how not to be a taken by a customer on ebay. I needed some questions answered quickly (prior to sending my money). So I went on some help forum. I am too lazy to read the FAQ or the many posted questions asked by other newbies. So I post my question. It was never answered. I wondered if that was because of my question..."

Elements > Learning Process > Incidental > Shared Experience

Describing past experiences, stories, etc. that are similar to others in the group.

“I have this same experience of the "guru" leaving a group. I work in the clinic at the RPC. A nurse who worked there for 25 years left suddenly (stress related from our staff dynamics). I enjoyed working with her. We clicked; she was smart, calm and patient”.

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Code: Elements > Learning Process > Incidental > Shared Understanding

Operational Definition Building agreement/consensus between two or more participants about meaning of discourse.

Elements > Learning Process > Intentional

Learning activities related to central purpose for being in the community.

Example: “I also agree with the turn toward constructivist epistemology in education, but not only with the school boards, but with the textbook companies. If anyone uses 'Flashback Canada', I find that information is provided for students, but that they must construct their own ideas on what happens next. They are actively trying to guess what might happen under a list of circumstances..."

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Code: Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Argumentation

Operational Definition Critically examining knowledge with respect to contrary evidence.

Example: “I do believe that this project could be completed within the stated parameters. I think that the faculty members who will eventually deliver this course will have to be open to change (teaching online, teaching with a constructivist approach, etc.) as well as be willing to relinquish some of their course planning control to a business. While this partnership does provide opportunities, such a union raises the specter..."

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Code: Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Clarification

Operational Definition Providing concrete examples or fresh explanations to clarify and restate an idea.

Example: “The reference was to how online communities treat newbie members who ask questions that may be common knowledge to the rest of the group. Sometimes these questions are politely answered, sometimes they are ignored and sometimes you get RTFM”.

Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Elaboration

Extending the meaning of a particular posting, illustrating with examples.

“Asking me if I would be willing to elaborate . . . . . . I would love to elaborate. I probably should have replied privately to your post. This anthropological offshoot may take up more space on the discussion board than others may want to see!”

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Code: Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Evaluation

Operational Definition Judging, assessing, or criticizing specific postings, and ideas.

Example: “My sense is that you are an insider in the English VLC you taught, by virtue of your assignment to teach the course and your position as the old-timer. You are also inbound in the distance learning community, since you are thinking carefully about distance learning environments, engaging with practitioners in the field and undertaking a MEd in the Ed Tech..."

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Code: Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Explicit Information

Operational Definition Providing new ideas or information without explicit expectation of reciprocity.

Example: “Anthropologists do acknowledge different talents and different responses to environmental stimuli; however, enculturation, culture specific meaning and understanding, is necessary for an individual to think, behave, and develop emotionally in order to function in his/her particular culture. The term has different implications for different theorists within the discipline (sounds like construction of knowledge to me!”

Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Feedback

Responding to postings/postings that provide new information, as well as soliciting feedback.

“You make an interesting assumption about the team members. You said, "I’ll assume, all participants are involved because each believes this is necessary or at least, a good thing."

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Code: Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Suggestion

Operational Definition Offering alternatives, insights new solutions etc.

Example: “I've suggested some discussion points below, or you can write a comment based on your reading about motivation. Please stick with the theme of professional practice and focus on the instructor's role and responsibility to motivate learners”.

Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Summation

Summarizing postings, ideas, or interactions.

"So, that’s my take on what we wrote about in the first of the three part series on ‘learning communities’, which will take us to new and exciting place I am sure. I hope I’ve been able to capture what was said, and if not, you can always wiki-edit the summary"

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Code: Elements > Learning Process > Intentional > Uncertainty

Operational Definition Explicitly expressing doubt.

Elements > Mutuality

Interdependence and reciprocity. Participants construct purposes, intentions and the types of interaction.

Example: “I am not sure if it was because of our bond with a traditionally objectivist approach to learning and our difficulty understanding the openness and tools of constructivism. Or, perhaps it was because of a lack of information in this Digital Solution case study that left open so many different possible answers on posted questions”.

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Code: Elements > Participation

Operational Definition Social participation in the community, especially participation that sustains the community. While almost every posting/contribution may indicate social participation, this code should be reserved for those contributions by members that are aimed at nurturing/sustaining or propelling the community itself. Ironically, the withdrawal of some members from participation in the community may provide an important negative indicator.

Example:

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Code: Elements > Plurality

Elements > Reflection

Elements > Social Protocols

Operational Definition "Intermediate associations" such as families, churches, and other peripheral groups other communities that individuals use to enrich the new community. In the case of virtual environments, this may include physical/geographical communities. Situating previous experiences, postings in current discussions, or grounding current discussions in previous events.

Example:

Rules of engagement, acceptable and unacceptable ways of behaving in a community.

Elements > Technology/ Technical The role played by technology to facilitate or inhibit the growth of community.

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Code: Elements > Technology/ Technical > Negative

Operational Definition Use this code when there is explicit mention of how technology inhibits or interferes with interactions or growth of the community.

Elements > Technology/ Technical > Positive

Use this code when there is explicit mention of how technology promotes or enhances interactions or growth of the community.

Elements > Trajectory

The sense that the community is moving in a direction, typically toward the future, or growth or toward resolution of a goal.

Example:

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Elements > Trust The level of certainty or confidence that one community members uses to assess the action of another member of the community. This code can also be used if a participant explicitly mentions trust, or exhibits a willingness to take risks (or not take risks) in the group. Code: Elements > Trust > Negative

Operational Definition This code can be used if a participant explicitly mentions trust, ascribes negative motives to the actions of others, or exhibits an unwillingness or hesitation to take risks, demonstrates or mentions discomfort, or questions confidence in others in the group.

Example:

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Code: Elements > Trust > Positive

Operational Definition The level of certainty or confidence that one community member uses to assess the action of another member of the community. This code can be used if a participant explicitly mentions trust, ascribes positive motives to the actions of others, or exhibits a willingness to take risks, demonstrates or mentions growing comfort, or affirms confidence in others in the group.

Example:

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Emphases: An identification or strong implication of the purpose for being in the community. Note: Emphases are a code applied to an ENTIRE community. Code: Emphases > Ceremony

Operational Definition Primary purpose of participation is on shared ritual. Conducting ceremonies, from spiritual to athletic to local awards or recognition, for example.

Emphases > Ideas

Primary purpose of participation is to engage ideas with others -- a focus on content rather than on relationships or other emphases.

Emphases > Place

Purpose of participation is to be part of a common habitat or locale – perhaps institutional identification or virtual location – Twitter, FB, SL

Example:

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Code: Emphases > Reflection

Operational Definition Primary purpose of participation is to reflect on previous events or reminisce about the past with others about something important to the participant.

Emphases > Relationship

Primary purpose of participation is to build relationships with other(s).

Example:

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Free Nodes: Ideas and themes that have emerged from initial analysis and coding, perceived to be significant but not currently a part of the Virtual Learning Communities model. Code: Free node > Conjecture

Operational Definition Speculation about an idea or situation.

Free node > Opinion

Expressing a point of view about an idea, issue, content, or the contribution of another member of the community.

Free node > Probe

Asking for additional information or clarification of an idea, position or opinion.

Free node > Questioning self

Rethinking a position, or wondering whether a particular idea or approach is optimal.

Free node > Question to group

Asking a question that is undirected or directed to the group.

Example:

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Code: Free node > Question to individual

Operational Definition Question directed to another individual in the group.

Free node > Hospitality

Explicitly treating group members in a warm, friendly, inviting or generous way.

Free node > Inhospitality

Being difficult, contrary, argumentative or meanspirited in a comment, typically without consideration of the learning. Often interpreted as an attack by someone in the community on another member or members.

Free node > Story or example

Offering a story or an explicit example drawn from one’s experience.

Example:

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