Sustained Idea Improvement: Validating a Conceptual Model for Knowledge Building in a Graduate Online Course

ABSTRACT Background Working innovatively with ideas plays a vital role in knowledge creation, yet the processes underlying sustained idea development remain incompletely understood. Objectives This study investigated how a conceptual model of sustained idea improvement facilitated knowledge creation among graduate students in an online course aimed at developing their thesis proposals. Methods Through mixed‐methods analysis of students' idea generation, online interactions and discourse patterns, the study examined knowledge‐building dynamics in an online environment. Results and Conclusions Findings suggest that the model of sustained idea improvement is effective in terms of guiding students in productive discourse that fosters the development of promising ideas for their thesis proposals. During the course, students progressively shifted their discourse from shallow sharing‐oriented to in‐depth elaboration‐ and synthesis‐oriented moves, demonstrating an increasing capacity for deeper intellectual engagement. Guided by this model, the study underscores the importance of a balanced approach that incorporates dynamic discourse moves for effective knowledge building (KB) in graduate school education contexts.