Candidate: Thomas W. Brignall III

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Sociology

Title: The Truth Claims of Online Higher Education:  A Social Constructionist Analysis

Committee:
Dr. Thomas Van Valey, Chair
Dr. Gregory Howard
Dr. Douglas Davidson
Dr. Gunilla Holm

Date: Wednesday, May 16, 2001, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
2526 Sangren

Abstract:
This dissertation is an analysis of the truth claims of six online universities about the declared role, definition, and purpose of online education.  An attempt to find common truth claims among the universities allows for a comparison to be made between the university truth claims and distance education literature, online education research, Internet demographics, education theory, and the first official United States governmental response to online education; The Web Based Education Committee.  The final result is to draw conclusions about the appropriateness of the university truth claims and to deduce if the university truth claims are verified by other sources of knowledge about online education.  This is the first step in trying to articulate exactly what online education is, and its purpose as declared by the universities who offer it as an alternative to traditional forms of education.

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