Cognitive Presence Research Articles

Designing values-based Learning Development spaces

Learning Development is emerging as a transformative force in the constantly evolving landscape of Higher Education (HE) requiring LD to adapt to the technological, cultural and pedagogical changes while embracing cultural diversity and weaving values into their pedagogical practices in the physical and virtual spaces that are available to them. Learning spaces play a crucial role in education, impacting student engagement, comfort and overall learning outcomes and therefore, it is crucial for LD to thoughtfully design diverse spaces for “Working in partnership with students and staff to make sense and get the most out of HE” one of ALDinHE’s (2024) Five Values of Learning Development and “promote engagement in learning and equity of opportunity for all to reach their potential” (PSF 2023). The poster illustrates how the campus-based LD office and ClassCollaborate for 1:1 and group tutorials in one UKHEI were intentionally designed to develop agentic, empowered learners who engage in meaningful conversations with the tutor and/or their peers, co-construct knowledge and navigate HE through respectful dialogue to make sense of their academic journey, thrive and achieve their goals. These dynamic, sustainable spaces are underpinned by Vygotsky's Social Constructivism (1978) and Laurillard's Conversational Framework (2002) demonstrating Teaching Presence (TP) and Social Presence (SP) fostering critical thinking essential for learning and Cognitive Presence (CP). LD spaces where TP, SP and CP, the interrelated elements of Garrison, Anderson, and Archer’s (2001) Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework interact, are inclusive places for creating deep and meaningful (collaborative-constructivist) learning experiences taking into account diverse learning needs including social justice issues. It is noteworthy that spaces influence how learning developers facilitate learning and how students learn on a case by case basis and the CoI can be a blueprint for designing future physical and virtual spaces for LD promotion.

Self-determination and perceived learning in online learning communities

This study explores the interplay between Self-Determination (SDT), relatedness, and teaching presence and CoI’s presence (teaching, cognitive, and social) in the context of online educational settings within China. Specifically, the study employs the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to investigate the interaction between SDT (Self-Determination, relatedness, and competence) and the perceived learning outcomes (autonomy, competence, and perceived learning). The underlying structure of the study’s conceptual framework was analyzed through the measurement model and the discriminant validity assessment. The results show that cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence are significantly associated with autonomy, competence, relevance, and perceived learning. Moreover, cognitive presence and social presence can potentially augment cognitive processes, amplifying the mediating role of relatedness between cognitive presence and learning outcomes.

Hong Kong higher education students’ perceived adjustments in their community of inquiry presence during political turmoil and the COVID-19 pandemic

This study adopted a quantitative approach to explore learning adjustment in terms of the students’ perceived adjustments in teaching, cognitive and social presence in the community of inquiry (CoI) framework from face-to-face classroom to online learning, and then from online to blended learning in the case of a higher education institution in Hong Kong. The online CoI survey was conducted to collect data from a convenience sample of 212 participating students who experienced the transition from classroom to online learning, and then the transition from online to blended learning in the case of the higher education institution. Analysis of variance, pairwise comparisons, correlation and multi-group analyses were performed on the collected data. The analytical results indicated that the students perceived four adjustments in their CoI presences in the online classroom and blended learning. (1) Classroom learning exhibited the strongest CoI presence while online learning rendered the weakest CoI presence. (2) Cognitive presence was the most important while social presence was the least important for learning. (3) All correlations among the CoI presence were positive with large correlations in online and blended learning modes. (4) All the teaching, cognitive and social adjustments were positively and largely correlated. These findings provide implications for further studies on exploring the explanation for the student’s learning adjustment and investigating the learning improvement strategies for online education.

Academic buoyancy and learner interactions as mediators of deep learning in blended learning contexts: The role of teaching, social, and cognitive presence

Academic buoyancy and learner interactions as mediators of deep learning in blended learning contexts: The role of teaching, social, and cognitive presence

Does community of inquiry really matter in understanding online learning? A confirmed perspective using mixed method

AbstractHigh dropout rates in online courses, caused by potential factors such as financial issues, low motivation and poor self‐regulation among learners, pose a significant challenge to the sustainable development of online education. Therefore, continuance of online courses has become a critical topic in both the academic and practical fields. By combining the Community of Inquiry framework (CoI) with Expectation‐Confirmation Theory, this study introduces three new constructs—confirmed teaching presence (CTP), confirmed cognitive presence (CCP) and confirmed social presence (CSP)—into the research model to understand how confirmed expectations towards CoI determine online learners' course continuance intention. Utilizing a mixed‐methods approach, the study conducted quantitative analysis on 409 learner surveys using partial least squares (PLS), followed by semi‐structured interviews, which revealed the depth and breadth of the confirmed CoI expectations on learners' willingness to continue learning. Specifically, the quantitative results uncovered the differential effects of CTP, CCP and CSP on learners' course continuance intentions by elucidating the internal mechanisms. The interviews provided deeper insights by illuminating online learners' initial expectations as well as their pre‐course and post‐course expectations. The findings of the study not only provide evidence of the crucial role of confirmed expectations in shaping online learners' course continuance intention but also offer actionable recommendations for improving online course design and fostering lifelong learning. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Online courses have expanded in scale and attracted a large number of learners in recent years, the large base of online learners has brought tremendous and unprecedented challenges to online course development. A high dropout rate is especially considered as a severe issue for online course development. The issue of learners' continuance intention was often explored from a technological perspective and at the platform level by using Information system (IS) theories. The community of inquiry (CoI) framework was extensively utilized as a theoretical basis for understanding online learning experiences and its three elements—teaching, cognitive and social presences—have long been deemed as major antecedents that influence learners' online learning behaviours and intentions. What this paper adds This paper integrated the community of inquiry (CoI) framework with Expectation confirmation theory and proposed three new variables: confirmed teaching presence (CTP), confirmed cognitive presence (CCP) and confirmed social presence (CSP). The study reveals the internal mechanisms by which the three confirmed expectations impact online learners' courses continuance intention. This implies that different confirmed expectations may have varying effects on online learners' learning behaviour. This research collects data from multiple sources to comprehensively explore online learners' expectations and perceptions. It also sheds light on the importance of learners' actual participation in the learning process for predicting their behavioural intentions. Implications for practice and/or policy The finding that learners' confirmed expectations impact their online course continuance intention conveys an important message to course practitioners: exaggerated or false claims for the online course must be avoided to prevent students from forming unrealistic expectations. Improving online learners' course completion rate cannot be hinged upon simply and blindly fostering and extending the three presences. Instead, knowing learners' confirmed expectations of the three presences allows course practitioners to reconsider and organize the important course elements. The research reveals the distinct role that each confirmed presence plays in promoting online learners' course continuance intention and, meanwhile, expands the understanding of learners' learning needs and experiences. Practitioners could make timely and appropriate strategies based on these to better motivate course learners' engagement and retention.

Effects of real-time danmaku interaction on student engagement in live video-streaming teaching: analyzing the mediating roles of social, teaching, and cognitive presences

ABSTRACT This study aimed to gain insights into how real-time danmaku interaction (i.e. organized danmaku interaction (ODI) and unorganized danmaku interaction (UDI)) directly and indirectly relates to student engagement (SE) through community of inquiry (COI) presences in live video-streaming teaching. Survey data gathered from 386 Chinese high school students (10th to 12th grades) who participated in a live video-streaming course were analyzed. Partial least square structural equation modeling results indicated that real-time danmaku interaction has a positive predictive effect on SE, and COI presences have a positive effect on SE. Furthermore, the PROCESS plugin in SPSS was used to conduct mediation analysis. Results demonstrated that after controlling for gender and grade, the relationship between real-time danmaku interaction and SE was partially mediated by COI presences. In particular, COI presences have a significant positive mediating effect between ODI and SE. Social presence also has a significant positive mediating effect between UDI and SE. Meanwhile, cognitive presence has a significant negative mediating effect between UDI and SE. Findings highlight the value of real-time danmaku interaction for SE and the significant mediating role of COI presences. Finally, this research provides effective suggestions on how to enhance students’ SE in live video-streaming teaching.

Post-COVID Education in New Zealand: Approaching Normal Lives? The Context of COVID-19 in New Zealand

New Zealand had a relatively low death toll from Covid-19 because of stringent measures against it but this did not mean New Zealand escaped economic and social disruption at this time. The well-being of people was a key priority of adjustments in education in this period and the success of adjustments to delivery and assessment was dependent on the efforts and good-will of the people involved. Academic standards were largely maintained but the most disadvantaged groups were most affected by lack of resources and other forms of support. The drawbacks in emergency remote teaching that emerged in the period serve as a reminder of the value of sound underpinning principles for online teaching. In 2023, the unsatisfactory mixed model of both online and face-to-face delivery underlines the role and importance of teacher presence in relation to social presence and cognitive presence in teaching and learning. Keywords:

There Is Another Room on the Other Side of the Screen: Learning via Zoom in a Hybrid Context

he tradition of physical presence in higher education has existed for years. Hybrid learning designs have emerged in recent years as a complement to the traditional way of teaching. This has created flexibility in education independent of time and place. The increasing number of students underscores an ambition to obtain high-quality education. Hence, it becomes critical understand how distance students residing in other countries perceive online-teaching in a synchronous hybrid-form, interconnected with traditional classroom teaching. The purpose is thus to gain an in-depth understanding of the factors affecting the experience of learning and engagement through Zoom. The data consists of 22 hours’ observation of Zoom lectures, supplemented by interviews with two distance students, to enable an in-depth understanding of the Zoom teaching model. The theoretical approach used is Community of Inquiry. The results highlight key conditions for the learning experience in the studied course and show that participation through Zoom in a hybrid classroom affects social and cognitive presence. This limits the interaction between physical classrooms and Zoom rooms and causes limited access to ongoing classroom activities, which slows down the learning process.

Enhancing nursing students' cultural awareness through Community of Inquiry-guided online 'Internationalization at Home' strategies-An intervention study.

Internationalization at Home (IaH) strategies play an important role in nursing curricula to enhance nursing students' cultural awareness in the globalized world. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) is a theoretical framework for the optimal design of online learning environments to support critical inquiry and discourse among students and teachers. To optimise nursing students' online cultural awareness learning experiences, it was timely to develop online IaH strategies based on a sound theoretical model. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of CoI-guided online IaH strategies on enhancing the cultural awareness of nursing undergraduates who enrolled in a community nursing course. This was an interventional pre-test post-test study. One hundred and six nursing undergraduates who enrolled in the course participated in the study. The online IaH strategies were developed focusing on the interactions of teaching presence, cognitive presence and social presence of CoI framework and they were integrated into the course. A previously validated Cultural Awareness Scale was adopted for pre-post evaluation. Higher scores indicate greater cultural awareness. The results showed that there was a significantly higher total score of cultural awareness of participating students at post-online IaH strategies. To be effective, aligning CoI-guided online IaH strategies with course content, pedagogy and assessment was shown to be significant. The inclusion of technological elements in related strategies was also critical to engage student learning. The positive change on the total score of cultural awareness suggested the effectiveness of the deployed strategies. In this ever-changing educational landscape, it may provide insights to educators regarding considering online IaH strategies with theoretical underpinning for curriculum planning and design.

Community of Inquiry as an Instructional Framework: How Teaching, Social and Cognitive Presences Impact EFL Speaking in a Blended Setting in Bangladesh

Community of Inquiry as an Instructional Framework: How Teaching, Social and Cognitive Presences Impact EFL Speaking in a Blended Setting in Bangladesh

Unraveling the post-adoptive hybrid learning experience: perspectives from information systems

Purpose Hybrid learning has become a reality due to the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students world over had to switch to this new learning format. This study aims to analyze the impact of innovation attributes of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and User Technology (UTAUT2) model and community of inquiry (COI) framework on the hybrid learning experience and the continued intention for it. Design/methodology/approach Using a cross-sectional research design, the study has adapted a scale from past studies and collected data using purposive sampling from the student community. The research has used the structural equation modeling technique using SMART-PLS to study the hypothesized relationships. Findings The study’s findings are that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, teaching presence, cognitive presence and social presence influence hybrid learning experience and continued intention. Further hybrid learning experience mediates the continued intention. Practical implications This study has several academic and practical implications for improving the hybrid learning experience. Various stakeholders can get insights on improving the user’s desire to pursue learning in a hybrid environment. Originality/value Hybrid learner experience is an upcoming area of research and yet unexplored in India as well as in other countries. A new hybrid experience model was developed by extending the UTAUT2 to include the COI framework and learner experience frameworks.

Practical tips for a fast and successful transition to an online curriculum.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the following lockdown forced educational institutions to transform their face-to-face curriculum into an online programme in a matter of weeks. In this article, we present 12 tips for a successful transition based on the challenges that we faced in the Bachelor of Medicine at Amsterdam Medical Centre. These tips are divided in four main themes: infrastructure, faculty development, student engagement, and teaching activities. The Community of Inquiry model is used as backbone in all tips, since the three elements, teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence are essential factors in effective online education. These tips can be useful for everyone who wants to implement online education in their curriculum, whether borne out of necessity or by design.

The domino effect of teacher cognitive presence triggering events and resolution on student’s grit

The aim of this current study is to assess the essential role of teacher cognitive presence within the context of the community of inquiry framework in relation to enhancing students’ academic perseverance, more specifically this type of presence influences the most students’ academic perseverance. In order to test this hypothesis, an online questionnaire was created, including the community of inquiry scale and the grit scale. A total of 529 valid and consented answers were collected. We have further analyzed the structure of the variables network with network analysis and then we have employed several sequential mediation analyses testing the impact of cognitive presence triggering events and resolution on the relationship between all the other presences and students’ academic perseverance. A circular structure has emerged in network analysis and eight significant full complementary sequential mediation analysis. Results confirm the domino effect of teacher cognitive presence triggering events and resolution on student’s grit under the community of inquiry framework.

Transitioning to Online Instructions and COVID-19 Response: A View from Mining Emergent College Students Discourse in Online Discussion Forum

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted teaching and learning activities in higher education around the world. As universities shifted to remote instruction in response to the pandemic, it is important to learn how students engaged in learning during this challenging period. In this paper, we examined the changes in learners’ social and cognitive presence in online discussion forums prior and after remote instruction. We also extracted emergent topics during the pandemic as an attempt to explore what students talked about and how they interacted with their peers. We extracted discussion forum posts between 2019 and 2020 from courses that have been offered repeatedly each term at a four-year university in the U.S. Our findings suggest that students exhibited higher social presence through increased social and affective language during remote instructions. We also identified emergent COVID-19 related discourse, which involved sharing personal experience with positive sentiments and expressing opinions on contemporary events. Our qualitative analysis further revealed that students showed rapport and empathy towrads others, and engaged in active sense making of the pandemic through engaging in critical discourse. Our study sheds lights on leveraging discussion forum to facilitate learner experiences and building classroom community in online courses. We further discussed the potential for conducting large-scale computational linguistic modeling on learner discourse and the role of artificial intelligence in deriving insights on learning behavior at scale to support remote teaching and learning.

Course Design, Belonging, and Learner Engagement: Meeting the Needs of Diverse International Students in Online Courses

International students comprise a growing population in U.S. higher education institutions, including online courses. Online international students’ experiences and needs have been largely understudied, but their increased presence in online courses offers a rich opportunity to understand better and improve their course experiences. This qualitative study draws upon interviews with international and domestic online learners to illuminate the importance of inclusivity and how it can be improved through course design and facilitation. To address our research questions, we interviewed 27 graduate students at a large public research university in the United States. The sample included 17 international and 10 domestic students. The findings show opportunities for enhancing the online learning experience for international learners through culturally attuned teaching, supporting both social and cognitive presences along with clear course expectations, and encouraging instructor’s responsiveness and peer engagement. This study concludes with four major implications for online instructors.

Understanding Learner Satisfaction in Virtual Learning Environments: Serial Mediation Effects of Cognitive and Social-Emotional Factors

This study explored the relationship between technology acceptance and learning satisfaction within a virtual learning environment (VLE) with cognitive presence, cognitive engagement, social presence, and emotional engagement as mediators. A total of 237 university students participated and completed a questionnaire after studying in the Virbela VLE. The results revealed direct and indirect links between technology acceptance and virtual learning satisfaction. The mediation analysis showed the critical mediating roles of cognitive presence and emotional engagement in fostering satisfaction. There also appeared to be a sequential mediating pathway from technology acceptance to learning satisfaction through social presence and emotional engagement. Notably, cognitive engagement and social presence did not have a significant mediating effect on satisfaction. These results provide a supplementary perspective on how technological, cognitive, and emotional factors can enhance student satisfaction in VLEs. The study concludes with several implications for future research and practice of VLEs in higher education.

Investigating Students’ Perception with an Online Dynamic Earth Course during COVID-19: A Quantitative Inquiry

This study investigated Earth science students’ experiences with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in the US. We used an existing survey from the online education literature, the Online Learning Environment Survey (OLES), which consists of three instruments: (a) community of inquiry (CoI), (b) Institutional Support (IS), and (c) Self-Directed Online Learning Scale (SDOLS). The survey rating subscales ordered from highest to lowest are autonomous learning, asynchronous online learning, institutional support, teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence, respectively, indicating interest for the online learning environment. Among all of the subscales, the asynchronous online category was rated the highest by the students. The data were then analyzed using Rasch modeling. According to the Rasch analyses, asynchronous online teaching represents the most favorable course delivery technique for geoscience education. Overall, the survey data show a general interest in online delivery and the effectiveness of the modality, thus indicating potential for evolving into an online Earth science program. Finally, also discussed are possible future extensions of the research (e.g., extending the research to other introductory online geoscience courses).

Exploring the relationships between learners’ social and cognitive presence patterns and peer support in digital social reading

Exploring the relationships between learners’ social and cognitive presence patterns and peer support in digital social reading

The relationships of motivation and self-regulation to students’ cognitive presence and empowerment in online learning environment

The relationships of motivation and self-regulation to students’ cognitive presence and empowerment in online learning environment

Disentangling the mechanism of student engagement in online language classrooms from the perspective of Community of Inquiry

Previous studies have revealed that students' participation is a complex matter affected by pedagogical, environmental, and individual factors. However, there is still insufficient empirical evidence regarding how those factors work in shaping classroom participation in the online context. In the field of language education, moreover, it still remains unclear as to how social interactions among students and teachers may affect students' cognitive engagement. To further understand the complex relations between language students' online engagement and the influencing factors, the current study conducted in-depth interviews with 24 university students enrolled in three online English courses in an International university in China. Analyses and interpretation of the qualitative data were informed by the Community of Inquiry framework. The findings suggest that students' engagement in online classrooms is a situated process affected by 1) pedagogical practices and support from teachers, which determines students' cognitive presence and perceived teaching presence directly, and 2) students' perceived social presence, which was shaped by both group dynamics and the online environment. Notably, the physically isolated online environment seemed to have played an impeding role in some students' cognitive engagement, but a facilitating a role in some others’, as mediated by their preference for social presence or absence. Overall, our study highlights the importance of providing students with a constructive, supportive and interactive environment for online language teaching and learning.