Community Of Inquiry Framework Research Articles

Linking self-regulated learning to community of inquiry in online undergraduate courses: A person-centered approach

AbstractThe Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework has gained widespread recognition as a theoretical model for understanding student learning in online environments. Despite its prevalence, CoI has been critiqued for its limited emphasis on learners’ proactive roles in self-regulating their own learning. To address this, researchers have suggested integrating self-regulated learning (SRL) into the CoI framework. This integration calls for empirical research to explore the relationship between SRL and the three established CoI presences: teaching, social, and cognitive. Using a person-centered approach, this study examines how varying SRL skills among 750 undergraduate students in an online introductory mathematics course are related to the three CoI components. Latent profile analyses identified five distinct SRL profiles: minimal regulators, low regulators with limited social skills, low regulators, moderate regulators, and competent regulators. We found that students in higher SRL profiles demonstrated higher perception of CoI, whereas those in relatively lower SRL profiles showed lower levels of perceived CoI. Our findings underscore the importance of incorporating self-regulation in the CoI framework for a more comprehensive understanding of online learning.

Effective Online Instruction Through The Community of Inquiry Framework: An Exploratory Study in Kinesiology

ABSTRACT Although educators in the field of kinesiology implement online education in various forms, online education rarely receives attention in literature. The purpose of this study is to explore online courses in the subject matter of kinesiology through the community of inquiry framework. This mixed-method study adopted a multiple case study approach collecting data using survey, learning management system analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data revealed that instructors shared high intentions toward the implementation of teaching and cognitive presences. The online instructors expressed much lower levels of intentions to support the social presence. The authors suggest online instructors be mindful of students’ engagement that is bound to the interplay of different types of learning activities. This study is expected to serve as a meaningful contribution to the understanding of the status of online teaching and learning in the field of kinesiology.

Developing a Community of Inquiry using an educational blog in higher education from the perspective of Bangladesh

Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, social networking, and podcasting have received attention in educational research over the last decade. Blogs enable students to reflect their learning experiences, disseminate ideas, and participate in analytical thinking. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework has been widely used in educational research to understand and enhance online and blended learning platforms. There is insufficient research evidence to demonstrate the impact of educational blogging using the CoI model as a framework. This article explores how blogs can be used to support collaborative learning and how such an interaction upholds CoI through enhancing critical thinking and meaningful learning in the context of higher education (HE). An exploratory sequential mixed-method approach has been followed in this study. A convenience sampling method was employed to choose 75 undergraduate students from Dhaka University for a 24-week blogging project. Every publication on the blog was segmented into meaningful units. Whole texts of posts and comments are extracted from the blog, and the transcripts are analyzed in a qualitative manner considering the CoI framework, more specifically, through the lens of cognitive, social, and teaching presence. In addition, the semi-structured questionnaire is used to collect data from students irrespective of whether blogging expedited students' learning or not. The research findings indicate that cognitive presence, namely, the exploration component, is dominant in blog-based learning activity. Moreover, this research has demonstrated that blogs build reliable virtual connections among students through exchanging ideas and information and by offering opportunities for reflective practice and asynchronous feedback. This study also revealed challenges related to blogging in the context of developing countries, including lack of familiarity with blogs, restricted internet connectivity, limited access to devices, and low levels of social interaction. It is recommended that different stakeholders including policymakers, curriculum developers, and teachers take the initiative to synchronize the utilization of educational blogs with the formal curriculum, guaranteeing that blog activities supplement and improve traditional teaching–learning activities.

THE COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY FRAMEWORK IN ONLINE ENGLISH LEARNING: INSIGHTS FROM INDONESIAN CULTURAL CONTEXTS

This research is grounded in the theoretical foundation of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework, exploring its application within the context of Indonesian cultural values in English education. The objective of this case study is to examine how English instructors adapt their teaching strategies to the challenges of online learning. The research design employs a qualitative approach, centered on interviews with three instructors from an English department at a private university in Jakarta. The participants, representing a small but focused population, were selected through a reputational purposive sampling technique, based on nominations from students who identified them for their effectiveness and expertise in online English learning. Data collection involved in-depth interviews, providing insights into the instructors’ perspectives and experiences. The analysis involved a thematic examination of teaching, cognitive, and social presence in the CoI framework. Findings show a robust teaching presence and a significant cognitive presence. Notably, social presence, crucial to CoI, subtly aligns with Indonesian hierarchical culture. This study underlines the complex relationship between CoI and cultural factors in online education. It suggests incorporating pedagogies aligned with local cultural values to improve engagement and outcomes in Indonesian online English learning.

RheumMadness Over Two Years: Engaging Participants in Active Learning and Connecting Early Trainees to the Rheumatology Community.

RheumMadness is an online learning collaborative that seeks to actively engage the rheumatology community. The objective of this manuscript is to analyze the educational experience of RheumMadness over two years. Direct measures of participant engagement were obtained using web-based analytics. An electronic survey was created after the tournament to capture self-reported engagement and educational experience using the Community of Inquiry framework. Data were analyzed according to the following objectives: (1) compare demographics, engagement, and educational experience of participants between 2021 and 2022; (2) describe the educational experience of those who created scouting reports; (3) explore the impact of RheumMadness on early learners (medical students and residents). Compared with 2021, the 2022 tournament had more participants who submitted a bracket, more early learners, and more scouting report creators. Self-reported engagement and educational experience was high in both years of the tournament among all participants. Over 85% of scouting report creators reported that making a report was a fun and valuable learning experience. Early learners reported significantly higher levels of knowledge integration, sense of belonging in the rheumatology community, social connection, and overall learning experience compared with more advanced participants. Eighty-five percent of early learners reported that RheumMadness increased their interest in rheumatology. RheumMadness expanded from 2021 to 2022, engaging more participants in collaborative learning. Our results demonstrate that RheumMadness is particularly impactful among medical students and residents by helping them explore rheumatology topics and connect with the rheumatology community.

More than two decades of community of inquiry research: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) has provided a useful tool for studying technology-enhanced learning environments. It has also been implemented as the theoretical framework for many types of relevant research. Since its development, the framework has generated substantial interest among scholars in many fields such as distance education, online and blended learning and computed-mediated instruction. Although extensive research has been carried out on the CoI, no single study has been conducted that statistically and mathematically examines all publications of the framework. This study aimed to comprehensively review more than two decades of publications on the CoI framework by applying the bibliometric analysis technique. Therefore, all the corresponding Scopus records (in total 5169) in the past 24 years (1999-2023) were analyzed using the VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and CiteSpace tools. The study described various essential research indicators, such as the research categories (directions), most productive authors, journals, institutions, and countries, along with potential research hotspots. The thematic analysis highlighted the research themes that have attracted scholars in the field by visualization of the current CoI research landscape.

The influence of self- and co-regulation on the community of inquiry for collaborative online learning: an ODeL context

PurposeThis paper aimed to determine the self- and co-regulation influences on the community of inquiry (CoI) for collaborative online learning.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative survey was used on a sample of (N = 626) enrolled postgraduate students in a South African Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) university. The measuring instruments were the CoI and the shared metacognitive surveys. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to determine the association and influence of self- and co-regulation on the CoI.FindingsThe results indicated that self- and co-regulation related to the CoI (teaching, cognitive and social) presences. In addition, the results revealed that self- and co-regulation influence the CoI presences. Self-regulation had the highest influence on teaching and cognitive presence, while co-regulation influenced social presence.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s convenience sampling method from a single university limited the applicability of the findings to other online learning environments.Practical implicationsHigher educational teachers who encourage student self- and co-regulation may enhance their online teaching, cognitive and social presence when studying online. The research’s findings may be valuable to teachers to enable them to provide a more collaborative and interactive online learning environment and promote productive online communities.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the body of knowledge about the relationship between teaching, social and cognitive presence and self- and co-regulation within the CoI framework. Furthermore, there has also been limited research focussing on the dynamics of shared metacognition within the CoI framework in an ODeL context.

An extended community of inquiry framework supporting students in online and digital education

ABSTRACT In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, universities across the world were forced to move from a classroom-based delivery model to an online learning model which heavily disrupted the learning process for students. Despite proactive efforts for academic staff to embrace online teaching tools and techniques, the pressing urgency with which solutions were implemented raised concerns about the competence of academic staff to deliver online education effectively, the capabilities of digital tools and technologies required for different topics, and the quality of students’ learning experiences. Within a university postgraduate setting, this research adopts the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to explore the social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence as essential elements facilitating the educational experiences of 100 students within an online learning environment. The findings expand current literature by proposing a revised CoI framework, the Digital Community of Inquiry Framework, to highlight an additional need, that of ‘self-presence’.

Instructor Leadership in Online Learning: Predictive Relationships Between Servant Leadership and the Community of Inquiry Framework

Instructor leadership is widely recognized as essential for facilitating meaningful online learning in higher education. While previous studies have applied organizational leadership theories to the study of instructor leadership, fewer studies have investigated online instructor leadership. This predictive correlational study detailed the associations between the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework and servant leadership (SL) theory and employed multiple regression analyses to investigate the predictive relationships of seven SL dimensions on the three CoI presences. Survey data were gathered from 148 graduate students enrolled in online courses in education, communication, and engineering master’s degree programs using the CoI Survey (Arbaugh et al., 2008) and the SL-28 (Liden at al., 2008). The findings revealed a positive and highly significant correlation between the instruments. The predictive model as a whole explained 66% of the variance in students’ perceptions of a CoI. Three SL predictor variables demonstrated the most influence: helping subordinates grow and succeed, conceptual skills, and creating value for the community. Additional analyses at the CoI subscale level revealed that the SL variables accounted for 73% of the variance in teaching presence, 55% of the variance in cognitive presence, and 31% of the variance in social presence. Implications and limitations are discussed and recommendations are proposed to implement online instructor SL.

Fostering Critical Reading and Research Skills in Medical Students through English for Careers Classes

This article investigates the impact of integrating critical reading and research skills within English for Careers classes on the development of these competencies among second-year medical students. By examining various strategies and activities that can be implemented within these classes, the study aims to cultivate these competencies effectively. The theoretical background supporting this approach includes constructivist theory, experiential learning theory, and the Community of Inquiry framework. The research procedure involved second-year medical students from the Medical Faculty of a Medical University, with participants divided into a control group and an experimental group. A well-structured and tailored curriculum was designed to integrate critical reading and research skills within the English language learning context. Pre- and post-assessment instruments were developed to measure students' critical reading and research skills. The results showed a significant improvement in these skills among the students who participated in the English for Careers classes compared to the control group. The study demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the mean scores of the experimental group in various measures of critical reading and research skills, including reading comprehension, research article evaluations, and critical analysis. The findings highlight the effectiveness of integrating critical reading and research skills within English for Careers classes in fostering the development of these competencies among medical students. By equipping students with these skills, they are better prepared to provide evidence-based patient care, contribute to medical knowledge, and stay updated with advancements in their field. The article emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive learning environment that promotes active engagement, critical thinking, and the acquisition of essential reading and research competencies.

Exploring Students’ Learning Experience and Engagement in Asynchronous Learning Using the Community of Inquiry Framework through Educational Design Research

Students’ learning experience and their engagement in online learning environments are becoming increasingly important as blended learning grows more prevalent in tertiary education. In this study, asynchronous lectures for applied sciences courses, offered to polytechnic students of Applied Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Science at Nanyang Polytechnic, were designed using the Community of Inquiry framework. Students’ perceptions of their learning experience and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement in asynchronous lectures were determined through a survey study. The results showed that students were engaged and had positive learning experiences. Through an educational design research methodology, this survey study also determined and provided design features important for designing asynchronous lectures. Further research could explore the possibility of expanding the scope of the research to other institutions with students of different cultural backgrounds, learning preferences, and learning abilities.

Pedagogical Strategies for Enhancing Online Collaboration

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to examine the pedagogical strategies for enhancing online collaboration among learners.
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to pedagogical strategies for enhancing online collaboration. The study provides insights into effective pedagogical strategies for fostering collaboration in online education, emphasizing structured group activities, peer feedback, social media integration, instructor presence, gamification, and cultural sensitivity. It highlights the importance of designing collaborative learning experiences that engage learners, promote interaction, and build community. The findings underscore the pivotal role of instructors in guiding collaborative efforts and fostering a supportive online environment. Continuous research and professional development are essential to enhance the quality of online collaboration, empower learners, and address emerging challenges in digital learning.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social Constructivism, Community of Inquiry framework and the Connectivism theory may be used to anchor future studies on pedagogical strategies for enhancing online collaboration. The study on pedagogical strategies for enhancing online collaboration recommends that educators diversify collaborative learning activities, leverage technology tools, foster a sense of community, provide scaffolding and support, and support faculty development and infrastructure to create enriching online learning experiences for students. By incorporating these recommendations, educators, instructional designers, policymakers, and educational institutions can promote collaboration, engagement, and success in online courses, ultimately enhancing the quality and effectiveness of online education.

Insights into a Community of Inquiry that emerged during academics’ emergency remote university teaching of chemistry in response to concern for students

ABSTRACT Background Effective teaching of university chemistry in an online environment not only requires teachers to have specific discipline content knowledge; it also requires them to have knowledge and skills in technology-enhanced teaching practices. When transitioning from traditional face-to-face teaching into online contexts, teachers must learn new strategies and methods, along with a shift in their beliefs. Whilst online learning of chemistry is commonplace in many higher education institutions globally, the integration of computer and digital technologies in teaching chemistry in developing countries had been limited prior to the 2020 pandemic. Purpose In this study, the experiences, perceptions, and teaching strategies of university chemistry teachers in the Philippines have been explored during the transition of their instruction to emergency remote teaching at two timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sample Data were collected in the form of survey responses from 139 participants representing 35 universities and colleges across the nation. Results No strong relationships were found between participants’ experiences and their academic rank, length of service, or institution type, suggesting university chemistry teachers took similar approaches to quickly adopt and adapt available technologies to deliver the required curriculum. Since the Philippines continues to struggle to establish a robust infrastructure to promote online and technology-enhanced learning, participants had to devise pedagogies and practices that would allow accessible learning experiences for their students by curating online tools that would require minimal bandwidth and low internet data consumption. Using abductive methodology, the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework was employed as a guide in interpreting university chemistry teachers’ experiences and perceptions about their implementation of emergency remote teaching using online technologies. Whilst participants had limited prior experiences in employing online learning pedagogies, key elements of the CoI framework became apparent through the new technologies and practices implemented by university chemistry teachers which fostered teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence.

Investigating relationships between community of inquiry perceptions and attitudes towards reading circles in Chinese blended EFL learning

Little research has been conducted to investigate relationships between students’ community of inquiry (CoI) perceptions and their attitudes towards reading circles (ARC). To bridge the gap this quantitative research reports a cohort of Chinese students’ perceptions of CoI and its prediction for their attitudes towards reading circles (RC) in English as a Foreign Language learning. The researchers administered and collected 202 valid questionnaires. They analyzed the correlations between CoI and ARC dimensions, did regression analyses and came up with insightful findings. It’s found that, concerning CoI, students have more positive perceptions of teaching and cognitive presences than of social presence. Meanwhile teaching presence, cognitive presence, social presence of CoI and usefulness, affect, and behavior of ARC are closely correlated. CoI teaching presence and cognitive presence are significant predictors for usefulness and behavior of ARC, while the combination of the three CoI presences predicts affect of ARC. Investigating the relationships between a longstanding CoI framework and a fledging ARC scale provides great implications for Chinese blended EFL teaching, especially in reading courses.

Navigating Multilingualism and Blended Learning: Challenges and Strategies in Trilingual Child Development and Modern Educational Practices

This paper explores the challenges and strategies in trilingual child development and blended learning in modern education. It addresses the nurturing of trilingualism in children, especially in predominantly monolingual settings, and highlights the cognitive benefits of multilingualism, such as enhanced problem-solving and cognitive flexibility. The study also examines the effectiveness of blended learning, a combination of traditional classroom and online education, particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. It assesses this approach in enhancing engagement and performance in trilingual students, using the Community of Inquiry framework. The paper aims to contribute to the understanding of trilingual child development and inform educational practices tailored to multilingual students' needs.

Cross-cultural assessment of the community of inquiry instrument: a comparison between UK and US students

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to conduct a cross-cultural assessment of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) instrument [Arbaugh, J. B., Cleveland-Innes, M., Diaz, S. R., Garrison, D. R., Ice, P., Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. P. (2008). Developing a community of inquiry instrument: Testing a measure of the community of inquiry framework using a multi-institutional sample. The Internet and Higher Education, 11(3-4), 133–136], comparing its application between students in the UK and the US. Using data collected from 245 UK accounting students, exploratory factor analysis was performed to assess the factorial structure of the CoI instrument. The analysis identifies three factors, consistent with the three presences outlined in the CoI framework [Garrison, D. R., & Archer, W. (2000). A transactional perspective on teaching and learning: A framework for adult and higher education. Elsevier Science]. However, five items display inadequate factor loadings below 0.5. In a cross-cultural comparison with [Arbaugh, J. B., Cleveland-Innes, M., Diaz, S. R., Garrison, D. R., Ice, P., Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. P. (2008). Developing a community of inquiry instrument: Testing a measure of the community of inquiry framework using a multi-institutional sample. The Internet and Higher Education, 11(3-4), 133–136] US study, distinct differences emerge. Notably, UK students exhibit higher mean scores for teaching, social, and cognitive presences compared to their US counterparts. In conclusion, it appears that cultures with high long-term orientation and low uncertainty avoidance could be more conducive to active engagement in the learning process and critical thinking, thus leading to high student perceptions of CoI.

Students’ Perceptions of Asynchronous Lectures via the Community of Inquiry Framework and Its Relationship with Learning Performance

Students’ Perceptions of Asynchronous Lectures via the Community of Inquiry Framework and Its Relationship with Learning Performance

Enhancing Classroom Learning: Exploring the Synergy of Microlearning and the Community of Inquiry

Microlearning has emerged as a promising approach to enhance learning experiences, providing learners with bite-sized, targeted content that can be consumed in short periods of time. However, the effective implementation of microlearning in the classroom requires a deeper understanding of the underlying pedagogical frameworks. This conceptual paper explores the integration of microlearning with the theory of Community of Inquiry, aiming to leverage the benefits of both approaches. By examining the principles and elements of the Community of Inquiry theory, this study investigates how microlearning can be effectively incorporated within a collaborative and interactive learning environment. The paper highlights the potential of microlearning to foster cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence, contributing to the development of a vibrant learning community. Additionally, it explores the role of instructional strategies in supporting the integration of microlearning and the Community of Inquiry framework. The findings of this conceptual analysis provide insights into the synergistic relationship between microlearning and the theory of Community of Inquiry, offering educators a foundation to design and implement effective microlearning experiences within their classrooms.

"I Sing the Body Electric": Embodied Presence in the Community of Inquiry Framework

Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more K-12 teachers in the United States were teaching online than ever before, particularly in rural and economically distressed communities (US Department of Education, 2011), and since March 2020, nearly every teacher has become, at least for a little while, a virtual teacher. The purpose of this study was to better understand the embodied experiences of women “sojourner” teachers—that is, teachers who move among online, face-to-face, and hybrid teaching spaces (Howell, 2020). Working from a feminist poststructuralist perspective, I gathered qualitative data from four sojourner teachers in the Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic United States. These data revealed participants’ complex relationships with their bodies while teaching online and how their bodies fit into their perceptions of what it means to be a good virtual teacher. I argue that the current domains of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison et al., 2000) are limited and would benefit from the explicit inclusion of embodiment to facilitate discussion about the interplay of physical and intellectual labor and, potentially, the real effects embodied identities have on teachers’ experiences in virtual classrooms.

Validation of the Italian Version of the Community of Inquiry Survey

This work presents the process of validation of the community of inquiry (CoI) survey in its Italian version. For over two decades, the CoI framework has been used to conceptualize online higher-order teaching/learning experiences as processes of inquiry in which participants collaborate in discourse and critical reflection to cocreate knowledge and achieve meaningful learning. The CoI is hinged on the mutual interaction of three dimensions named presences: teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence. The official survey to detect the level of presence perceived by learners has been predominantly conducted in English. In recent years, a number of scholars have deemed that its original format suits at least a B2 level of English proficiency, and several translations in other languages have been validated. Accordingly, the validation of the Italian version aims to improve the accuracy of the CoI questionnaire conducted among native Italian learners (n = 234). Analyses show satisfactory outputs in terms of validity and reliability of the 34 Likert-scale items, whilst adaptations to other languages open new perspectives grounded on cultural variables.