Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2018 Assessing K12 Online Teachers Knowledge of Online Student Identities and Characteristics Brianne L. Jackson Virginia Commonwealth University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd Part of the Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Online and Distance Education Commons, and the Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons © The Author Downloaded from https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/5316 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. © Brianne Leia Jackson 2018 All Rights Reserved Assessing K12 Online Teachers Knowledge of Online Student Identities and Characteristics A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. by Brianne Leia Jackson M.L.A., University of Richmond, 2005 B.A., Randolph-Macon College, 2001 Chair: W. Monty Jones, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching & Learning VCU School of Education Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia April, 2018 ii Acknowledgments This paper, degree, and dream would not have been possible without the love and support of a number of people. First, I would like to thank my husband, Daniel, for his never- ending support and love from the moment my first paper was accepted to the bitter end of the dissertation. He held me when I cried, has attended more conference presentations than any other significant other I have known, and has been my rock. I would like to thank my mom and my late grandmother for always believing in me and my ability to reach the stars. Granny, I wish you would have made it to see me be called doctor, but I know that you have never really left my side. And mom, I could have never done this without you telling me that you always knew I could do it. I would like to thank my amazing children, Will and Clare, who have, throughout this process earned a Ph.D. in their own right as they have studied with me, attended meetings and gone above and beyond the call of duty for children. I promise I will repay the nights of you cooking dinner, brewing coffee, or cleaning house because I just couldn't do it all. I would like to thank my SGFam. I met you crazy fools from our mutual love of a TV show and yet you have proofread my papers, listened to me blather on and when my world turned upside down, you came in droves to help and support. I would like to thank Deverick, one of my oldest and dearest friends, for serving as my sounding board and proofreader. I could never have gotten published without your keen eye. I would like to thank Dr. Daniel Jackson, played by Michael Shanks (and well, Michael Shanks too) for serving as the inspiration for going back to school and taking my life back. I would like to thank my committee, Dr. Michael Broda, Dr. Ross Collin and Dr. Kathryn Murphy-Judy, for being there to answer questions, sit in their offices for hours and just be there to bounce of ideas. And finally, I would like to thank my advisor and mentor Dr. Monty Jones. Without you Dr. Jones I would have NEVER gotten this far and, for that, I will NEVER be able to thank you enough. #ChangeYourStars iii Table of Contents List of Tables .................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures .................................................................................................................. viii List of Abbreviations ......................................................................................................... ix Abstract ................................................................................................................................x Chapter 1: An Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Prologue: A Rude Awakening .............................................................................................1 Context of the Study ............................................................................................................4 Research Background ..........................................................................................................7 Purpose of the Study ..........................................................................................................10 Theoretical Framework ......................................................................................................11 Research Questions ............................................................................................................13 Methods..............................................................................................................................15 Summary ............................................................................................................................17 References ..........................................................................................................................17 Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework & Review of Literature ……………………….....…………26 Section 1: Theoretical Framework ...........................................................................................26 Background & Influences ..................................................................................................26 Bourdieusian Field Theory ................................................................................................28 The Role of Capital in Fields .............................................................................................30 Field Theory in Face-to-Face Education ............................................................................32 Summary of Section 1 ........................................................................................................36 iv Section 2: Systematic Review of Bourdieu in Online Education ............................................36 Methods..............................................................................................................................37 Field Theory in the Online Classroom ...............................................................................37 The Role of Capital Online ................................................................................................42 The Role of Capital in Online Learning for Higher Education .........................................44 Capital in K12 Online Learning .........................................................................................49 Critique of the Literature ...................................................................................................50 Summary of Section 2 ........................................................................................................52 Summary of Chapter 2 .............................................................................................................52 References ................................................................................................................................53 Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................................60 Study Design ......................................................................................................................60 Participants .........................................................................................................................61 Instrumentation ..................................................................................................................64 Procedures ..........................................................................................................................68 Data Collection ......................................................................................................68 Data Analysis .........................................................................................................68 Definitions..........................................................................................................................75 Limitations .........................................................................................................................78 Summary ............................................................................................................................78 References ..........................................................................................................................78 v Chapter 4: Findings ........................................................................................................................82 Review of Descriptive Statistics ........................................................................................82 Participant Demographics ......................................................................................82 Reliability of the Measure ..................................................................................................84 Survey Results by Research Question ...............................................................................84 Distribution