Cohort Learning Online in Graduate Higher Education: Constructing Knowledge in Cyber Community

This paper discusses a qualitative participatory action research study, which examined the nature of the cohort learning experience in an online master s program, from both faculty and student perspectives. After describing this online master s program in adult education designed from a social constructivist theoretical frame, this paper discusses two primary areas of findings related to cohort learning. First, were those related to the ongoing negotiation of the learning process: the importance of an opening residential; a consistent but flexible cohort structure; and building ongoing relationships. Second, were those related to the ongoing construction of knowledge: the role of team-teaching and the cohort model in transformative learning; the application of theory to real life practice, and the value of group support and collaboration in conducting research and constructing knowledge. Implications for practice are discussed.