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The Cohort Experience in a Hybrid Instructional Technology Ph.D. Program

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Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain in-depth understanding of students’ experiences in a cohort-based hybrid instructional technology Ph.D. program at a Research 1 University. Participants were 14 current and former students in the Instructional Technology Ph.D. program from the 2016 through 2020 cohorts. Participants completed an eight-question open-ended survey administered using Qualtrics. The survey was developed using the Community of Inquiry (CoI), which also serves as the theoretical framework for this study. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Four themes related to cohort success emerged from the analysis of the data. Results provide faculty and administrators with a better understanding of how students experience a cohort-based hybrid Ph.D. program, including the fundamental support students need for personal and academic success. Themes revealed through this research will inform faculty and administrators of critical elements to consider in the design and development of future cohort-based doctoral programs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Alabama, Box 870302, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA

    Margaret L. Rice, Bernadette Beavers, Laura McNeill & Angela Benson

Authors
  1. Margaret L. Rice
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  2. Bernadette Beavers
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  3. Laura McNeill
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  4. Angela Benson
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Correspondence to Margaret L. Rice.

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Ethics Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the university where the study took place (IRB protocol number: 21–09-4917) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants involved in the study.

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The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

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Rice, M.L., Beavers, B., McNeill, L. et al. The Cohort Experience in a Hybrid Instructional Technology Ph.D. Program. TechTrends 66, 710–720 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00745-6

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