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: Operational Definition: Example: Notes:
Catalysts > Individuals shifting
Alignment positions or opinions to
move toward closer
agreement.

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

Catalysts > awareness of how a

Awareness > particular activity or piece
Concept Awareness of knowledge fits into an
individual’s existing
knowledge.
Catalysts > Awareness that people
Awareness > have about the social
Social Awareness connections within the
group. Expressing and
reflecting on the nature of
roles and relationships
among group members.

Code: Operational Definition: Example: Notes:

Catalysts > Awareness of how a
Awareness > shared task will be
Task Awareness completed.

Catalysts > Sensitivity to the context,

Awareness > and what is appropriate or
Workspace inappropriate in a
Awareness particular work setting.

Catalysts > Confronting or exploring

Engagement ideas, people, resources
and processes first
presented by someone
else in the group.

Catalysts > Interplay or activity with

Interaction others without deep
engagement.
Elements: Features that arise or that are manifest in communities.
Code: Operational Definition: Example: Notes:
Elements > Individuals have the
Autonomy capacity and authority to
conduct discourse and
share information freely,
or withdraw from
discourse or choose not
to share information
without penalty.

Elements > Communities develop

Historicity 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 > The boundaries of the

Identity 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.
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Active engagement, open
Intensity discourse, and a sense of
importance or urgency in
discussion, critique and
argumentation.

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 > Explicitly agreeing with a

Learning Process > point or position taken by
Incidental > another member of the
Agreement group. May also be an
indication of "Alignment."

Elements > One participant “I disagree (and my

Learning Process > challenging the comments stomach is actually in
Incidental > of another with or without knots ... because I HATE
Disagreement supporting evidence. doing so virtually). ;o) As
a group we discussed the
concepts of "perceived
trajectories"
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Analyzing or expressing “If a community views a
Learning Process > opinions about a specific person as being an
Incidental > situation or item of insider, but the person
Observations discourse. 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 > Providing or requesting for “………, I may need your

Learning Process > help. assistance with the
Incidental > authorware program :-)”
Peer-support
Code: Operational Definition
Elements > Considering experiences,
Learning Process > postings in previous
Incidental > discussions, or situating
Reflection current discussions in
previous events.
Example: Notes:
“This reminds me of a
time when I was trying to
find out how not to be a
taken by a customer on e-
bay. 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 > Describing past “I have this same

Learning Process > experiences, stories, etc. experience of the "guru"
Incidental > that are similar to others in leaving a group. I work in
Shared the group. the clinic at the RPC. A
Experience 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”.
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Building “I also agree with the turn
Learning Process > agreement/consensus toward constructivist
Incidental > between two or more epistemology in
Shared participants about education, but not only
Understanding meaning of discourse. 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..."

Elements > Learning activities related

Learning Process > to central purpose for
Intentional being in the community.
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Critically examining “I do believe that this
Learning Process > knowledge with respect to project could be
Intentional > contrary evidence. completed within the
Argumentation 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..."
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Providing concrete “The reference was to
Learning Process > examples or fresh how online communities
Intentional > explanations to clarify and treat newbie members
Clarification restate an idea. 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 > Extending the meaning of “Asking me if I would be

Learning Process > a particular posting, willing to elaborate . . . . .
Intentional > illustrating with examples. . I would love to elaborate.
Elaboration 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!”
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Judging, assessing, or “My sense is that you are
Learning Process > criticizing specific an insider in the English
Intentional > postings, and ideas. VLC you taught, by virtue
Evaluation 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..."
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Providing new ideas or “Anthropologists do
Learning Process > information without acknowledge different
Intentional > explicit expectation of talents and different
Explicit reciprocity. responses to
Information 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 > Responding to “You make an interesting

Learning Process > postings/postings that assumption about the
Intentional > provide new information, team members. You said,
Feedback as well as soliciting "I’ll assume, all
feedback. participants are involved
because each believes
this is necessary or at
least, a good thing."
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Offering alternatives, “I've suggested some
Learning Process > insights new solutions etc. discussion points below,
Intentional > or you can write a
Suggestion 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 > Summarizing postings, "So, that’s my take on

Learning Process > ideas, or interactions. what we wrote about in
Intentional > the first of the three part
Summation 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"
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Explicitly expressing “I am not sure if it was
Learning Process > doubt. because of our bond with
Intentional > a traditionally objectivist
Uncertainty 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”.

Elements > Interdependence and

Mutuality reciprocity. Participants
construct purposes,
intentions and the types of
interaction.
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Social participation in the
Participation 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.
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > "Intermediate
Plurality 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.
Elements > Situating previous
Reflection experiences, postings in
current discussions, or
grounding current
discussions in previous
events.

Elements > Rules of engagement,

Social Protocols 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.
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > Use this code when there
Technology/ is explicit mention of how
Technical > technology inhibits or
Negative interferes with interactions
or growth of the
community.

Elements > Use this code when there

Technology/ is explicit mention of how
Technical > technology promotes or
Positive enhances interactions or
growth of the community.

Elements > The sense that the

Trajectory community is moving in a
direction, typically toward
the future, or growth or
toward resolution of a
goal.
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: Operational Definition Example: Notes:

Elements > This code can be used if a
Trust > participant explicitly
Negative 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.
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Elements > The level of certainty or
Trust > confidence that one
Positive 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.
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: Operational Definition Example: Notes:

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

Emphases > Primary purpose of

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

Emphases > Purpose of participation is

Place to be part of a common
habitat or locale – perhaps
institutional identification
or virtual location –
Twitter, FB, SL
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Emphases > Primary purpose of
Reflection participation is to reflect
on previous events or
reminisce about the past
with others about
something important to
the participant.

Emphases > Primary purpose of

Relationship participation is to build
relationships with other(s).
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: Operational Definition Example: Notes:

Free node > Speculation about an idea
Conjecture or situation.

Free node > Expressing a point of view

Opinion about an idea, issue,
content, or the
contribution of another
member of the
community.

Free node > Asking for additional

Probe information or clarification
of an idea, position or
opinion.

Free node > Rethinking a position, or

Questioning self wondering whether a
particular idea or
approach is optimal.

Free node > Asking a question that is

Question to group undirected or directed to
the group.
Code: Operational Definition Example: Notes:
Free node > Question directed to
Question to individual another individual in the
group.

Free node > Explicitly treating group

Hospitality members in a warm,
friendly, inviting or
generous way.

Free node > Being difficult, contrary,

Inhospitality argumentative or mean-
spirited 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 > Offering a story or an

Story or example explicit example drawn
from one’s experience.