Abstract
Previous studies have contextualized student-led, asynchronous online discussions as collaborative learning experiences that positively impact students’ learning and foster higher order cognitive skills. From a leadership education perspective, student-led discussions have come to the fore as a helpful resource for deepening learning because of their focus on collaboration and shared leadership. While literature on student-led online discussions, leadership learning, and cognitive skill is plentiful, there is no single study that explores all these elements together or fully points to how practicing meaning-making in online, asynchronous leadership courses can inform larger cognitive processes. Thus, the purpose of this conceptual content analysis-based study was to examine 35 undergraduate students’ collaborative discussion board posts at the beginning, middle, and end of an online, asynchronous Ethics and Leadership class to assess not only if and to what extent students expressed cognitive skills, in general, but also if and to what extent they understood ethical leadership via these types of discussions. Further, from an exploratory lens, this study examined if there was a relationship between expression of higher order cognitive skills and more complex ethical leadership understanding. Results indicate that, while students achieved higher order cognitive skills and more holistic ethical leadership understanding overall, robustness of student engagement could be situational in nature and expressions of cognitive skills and ethical leadership understanding tapered as the course progressed. Additional findings and implications are discussed.
Highlights
Previous studies have contextualized student-led, asynchronous online discussions as collaborative learning experiences that positively impact students’ learning and foster higher order cognitive skills
The following excerpt from participant Carl’s initial Week 4 discussion board post addressing the question of Can you recall a time where you were in a position of leadership and had to make a decision while remaining objective? Do you believe it is possible to always put aside our own personal bias? offers a helpful illustration of expressions of application-based cognitive skill: While working as a supervisor for SeaWorld, I was leading a team that handled around 20k cash every day
This study provided a holistic exploration of how fostering knowledge construction in collaborative, student-led, asynchronous online discussions can inform and transfer to cognitive processes in leadership and other disciplines
Summary
Previous studies have contextualized student-led, asynchronous online discussions as collaborative learning experiences that positively impact students’ learning and foster higher order cognitive skills. Given the salience of collaboration and relational processes in leadership education (Higher Education Research Institute [HERI], 1996; Komives et al, 2016) as well as the designation of discussion as a “signature pedagogy” in leadership learning (Jenkins, 2016), student-led online discussion boards are essential to curriculum and overall student learning and development, and they warrant further exploration This exploration is of particular importance about the intersection between student-led discussions and cognitive skill, which, according to Yang et al (2011), speaks directly to individuals’ capacity to move from conceptual understanding to more complex application of theory to lived experiences. Understanding these components is important to creating engaging online learning environments for students that leverage real-world experience aimed at bolstering leadership development This holistic exploration may shed light on how fostering collaborative knowledge construction in student-led discussions can inform and transfer to cognitive processes in leadership and other disciplines. This study is significant because exploring the parallels between cognitive skills and leadership learning may illuminate new ways via which we can use collaborative pedagogy to foster deeper thinking across disciplines, support students toward holistic understanding, and connect instructional designers and leadership faculty more fully
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