Stroking the Net Whale: a Constructivist Grounded Theory of Self-Regulated Learning in Virtual Social Spaces

Authors

  • Judita Kasperiuniene Vytautas Magnus University and Aleksandras Stulginskis University
  • Vilma Zydziunaite Vytautas Magnus University
  • Malin Eriksson Umeå University

https://doi.org/10.17583/qre.2017.2756

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Abstract

This qualitative study explored the self-regulated learning (SRL) of teachers and their students in virtual social spaces. The processes of SRL were analyzed from 24 semi-structured individual interviews with professors, instructors and their students from five Lithuanian universities. A core category stroking the net whale showed the process of SRL skills development of university teachers and their students. This core category was constructed from three categories: building boats, angling in the multifaceted ocean, nurturing the big fish. Building boats showed social networking and identity marketing processes which are the same for both research participant groups. Angling in the multifaceted ocean implied personal capabilities and mutual trust dimensions, applicable to both teachers and students. Other dimensions of Angling in the multifaceted ocean differ: maintenance of liquid identities was observed for teachers; students stressed reinforcement of formal studies in virtual social spaces. Nurturing the big fish for both participant groups means academic communication; for university teachers, it also means professional knowledge development, and for students, virtual learning skills development. These findings contribute to understanding how the SRL of university teachers and their students progresses in virtual social spaces.

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Author Biographies

Judita Kasperiuniene, Vytautas Magnus University and Aleksandras Stulginskis University

Judita Kasperiuniene is a PhD candidate in Education, Social sciences and the lecturer at Faculty of Informatics Vytautas Magnus University and Centre for Cultural Communication and Education at Aleksandras Stulginskis University. Her research interests are the following: self-regulated learning, technology-enhanced learning, qualitative research, social innovations. 

Vilma Zydziunaite, Vytautas Magnus University

Vilma Zydziunaite is a Professor in Education, Social sciences at Vytautas Magnus University and Professor in Nursing at Klaipeda University of Applied Sciences. She teaches Social research, Educational research, Qualitative research methodology at Master and PhD levels. Her research is focused on leadership in higher education, qualitative research methodology in social and health care contexts, self-regulated learning, professional identity, ethics in social research.

Malin Eriksson, Umeå University

Malin Eriksson is an Associate Professor in Public Health at the department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umeå University, Sweden. She teaches social theory and qualitative methodology (Grounded Theory) at Master and PhD levels at Umeå International School of Public Health, and also supervises students at Master and PhD levels. Her research concerns social determinants of health, social inequalities in health, social capital and its implications for health promotion, and migration and health among unaccompanied refugee children.  She is currently involved in qualitative and quantitative research in Sweden, Ukraine, Tanzania, Indonesia and Vietnam and is the deputy theme leader for theme IV “Gender, Social Inequality, and Health” within Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, and a deputy editor for the international peer-reviewed journal Global Health Action.

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Published

2017-10-27

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Kasperiuniene, J., Zydziunaite, V., & Eriksson, M. (2017). Stroking the Net Whale: a Constructivist Grounded Theory of Self-Regulated Learning in Virtual Social Spaces. Qualitative Research in Education, 6(3), 276–302. https://doi.org/10.17583/qre.2017.2756

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