Nontraditional Students’ Perceptions of Using Google Docs in Traditional Settings
Date of Conferral
10-20-2023
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Education
Advisor
Michael Marrapodi
Abstract
The problem this qualitative phenomenological study addressed was the lack of understanding of the experiences of adult learners and their perceptions of online tools and interactivity as they engaged in the use of Google Docs in a traditional entry-level writing course. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into adult learners’ perceptions of online tools and interactivity as they engaged in the use of Google Docs in an entry-level writing course. Knowles’s theory of andragogy and Puentedura’s model of substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition (SAMR) provided the conceptual framework. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with nine adult learners from two small liberal arts colleges in metropolitan Atlanta. The research question focused on the classroom experiences of adult learners in Freshmen composition using Google Docs and how their experiences affected their writing process. Notes and interview transcriptions were coded using a priori codes from SAMR and andragogy. Themes that emerged included a collaborative experience, engagement with peers, productivity from collaboration, and writing motivation. Positive and negative experiences in the themes of collaborative experience and productivity from collaboration were reported. Findings may inform the development of evidence-based strategies to support education and training programs for faculty, writing programs, and staff to better meet the unique needs of the growing population of adult learners.
Recommended Citation
Lewis, Linette Deneen, "Nontraditional Students’ Perceptions of Using Google Docs in Traditional Settings" (2023). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 14989.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/14989
