Abstract
This paper looks first at some of the often unspoken epistemological, philosophical, and theoretical assumptions that are foundational to student-centered, interactive online pedagogical models. It is argued that these foundational assumptions point to the importance of learning community in the effectiveness of online learning environments. Next, a recent study of 2314 online students across thirty-two college campuses is presented. This study reports on learners’ sense of community and it is concluded through factor and regression analysis that elements of the Community of Inquiry model —specifically learners’ recognition of effective “directed facilitation” and effective instructional design and organization on the part of their instructor contributes to their sense of shared purpose, trust, connectedness, and learning—core elements of a community of learners. Gender also appears to play a small role in students’ sense of learning community with female students reporting higher levels than their male classmates. Implications for online learning environments design are discussed.
Highlights
To make rational choices about any pedagogical strategy or approach in teaching and learning, it is helpful to examine the underlying epistemological, philosophical, and theoretical assumptions that such strategies and approaches reflect
A factor analysis was applied to the data to determine whether the teaching presence and learning community measures cohered into factors reflecting the underlying hypothesized constructs
The analysis reveals that 74.37% of the variability of the teaching presence construct can be accounted for by this model
Summary
To make rational choices about any pedagogical strategy or approach in teaching and learning, it is helpful to examine the underlying epistemological, philosophical, and theoretical assumptions that such strategies and approaches reflect. To understand online learning communities as a goal for higher-education online learning environments, it is useful to examine the foundations and assumptions upon which online learning communities rest These include three related changes—a philosophical shift from objectivism towards constructivism; a theoretical shift from behaviorism towards socio-cognitive views of education; and a pedagogical shift from direct instruction to the facilitation of collaborative learning. Online learning-community models allow participants to actively engage one another in ideas and perspectives they hold to be educationally worthwhile, exciting, and provocative It is through the design of the learning environment, with an emphasis on shared educational goals, support, collaboration, and trust that these processes can be most effectively and functionally activated.
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