Transcript Slide 1

The Community of Inquiry
Framework:
A Review of Research & Practice
D. Randy Garrison
Phil Ice
Zehra Akyol
January, 2010
HICE Conference
Hawaii
Overview
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Background
Community of Inquiry Framework
Update on Recent Research
CoI Dynamics
CoI Survey Instrument
Discussion
Background
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Studies have emphasized the importance of community
as a key factor in successful online/blended learning
(Conrad, 2005; Haythornthwaite & Kazmer, 2004; Rovai, 2002).
Sense of community is found to be significantly
associated with perceived learning (Shea, 2006; Shea, Li, &
Pickett, 2006).
Community of Inquiry Framework provides a well
structured guideline to create an effective and sustained
learning community (Arbaugh, 2008).
Value of a Framework
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A theoretical framework takes us beyond craft
know how and recipes.
Theoretical frameworks provide order and allow
us to understand complex situations in greater
depth.
This increases adaptability to new contexts and
environments.
Community Of Inquiry
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The importance of a community of inquiry is
that, while the objective of critical reflection
is intellectual autonomy, in reality, critical
reflection is “thoroughly social and
communal”.
Lipman, 1991
Community of Inquiry Framework
Social Presence
The ability of participants
to identify with the
community (e.g., course
of study), communicate
purposefully in a trusting
environment, and
develop inter-personal
relationships by way of
projecting their
individual personalities.
Cognitive Presence
The extent to which
learners are able to
construct and confirm
meaning through
sustained reflection
and discourse in a
critical community
of inquiry.
Teaching Presence
The design, facilitation and direction of cognitive and social processes for the purpose
of realizing personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomes.
CoI Categories/Indicators
ELEMENTS
CATEGORIES
INDICATORS
(examples only)
Social Presence
Open Communication
Group Cohesion
Personal/Affective
Learning climate/risk-free expression
Group identity/collaboration
Self projection/expressing emotions
Cognitive Presence
Triggering Event
Exploration
Integration
Resolution
Sense of puzzlement
Information exchange
Connecting ideas
Appling new ideas
Teaching Presence
Design & Organization
Facilitating Discourse
Direct Instruction
Setting curriculum & methods
Shaping constructive exchange
Focusing and resolving issues
SOCIAL PRESENCE
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The ability of participants to identify with the
community (e.g., course of study), communicate
purposefully in a trusting environment, and
develop inter-personal relationships.
(Garrison, in press)
Rogers and Lea (2005)
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If the intended result of social presence is to
confer on the group greater capacity to
communicate and collaborate, then the group
will work more productively to the extent that
group members identify with the group [emphasis
added], … [p. 153]
SP Research Findings
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When students feel comfortable participating in
online asynchronous dialogue they also report
higher levels of cognitive presence (Shea, 2008).
COGNITIVE PRESENCE
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What are the challenges of observing and
assessing what is essentially a latent or hidden
process?
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The following model is how we addressed this
enormous challenge.
Moving Beyond Exploration
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Early research revealed an apparent difficulty
moving inquiry through to resolution.
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However, there is evidence that this pervasive
finding may have more to do with aspects of
teaching presence than to the other possible
factors.
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Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007
Nature of Task
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Where learners specifically were tasked to formulate
and resolve a problem, “participants engaged more in
problem resolution than in problem formulation”
(Murphy, 2003)
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When questions specifically asked students to engage in
practical applications, discussions did progress to the
synthesis and resolution phase (Arnold & Ducate, 2006)
Emerging CP Research
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In two small samples (n = 18) students reached
exploration and integration in discussion postings, then
after personal reflection on discussions, used
knowledge to reach resolution in personal work
products
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Interview data indicates that students need time to fully
evaluate discussion postings before reaching the
resolution stage
(Ice, in progress)
CP and TP
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Others have concluded that the reason
discussions do not reach the highest levels
of inquiry is related to the role of the
instructor (Celetin, 2007; Luebeck & Bice,
2005 ).
Blended and Online Learning
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BL course had higher levels of all presences as
well as perceived learning and satisfaction
compared to fully online course.
"these differences suggest that the blended
course format may have provided better
conditions for higher-order thinking”
Akjol & Garrison, unpublished
TEACHING PRESENCE
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The body of evidence is growing rapidly
attesting to the importance of teaching
presence for successful online learning …
TP Research
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The consensus is that teaching presence is a
significant determinate of student satisfaction,
perceived learning, and sense of community.
(Akyol & Garrison, 2008; Arbaugh, 2008; Shea et al. 2004, 2005)
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TP is needed to establish CP and SP; lowest CP
scores were reported by students who rated TP
as weak (Shea & Bidjerano, in press)
TP Research
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Various factor analyses have produced an
unexpected 4 factor solution in which
instructional design and organization load
separately from facilitation of discourse and
direct instruction
Mixed methods analysis reveals that students
may be able to detect the instructor’s “voice” /
students can differentiate whether or not an
instructor authored the course content
(Ice, in progress)
CoI DYNAMICS
Role of Time
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Why time?
“Community grows; it is not made or given”
(Conrad, 2005)
Time is an important variable to understand how a
community of inquiry develops and progresses
(Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2004)
Dynamics of Presences
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The dynamics among the three presences
have not been explored until recently.
PLOT OF ELEMENTS OF CoI OVER TIME
(Akyol & Garrison, in press)
CP
TP
SP
Categories of Presences
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The sub-elements (ie, categories) of the
presences also develop differentially over time
and have practical implications.
(Akyol & Garrison, 2008)
Beginning of Course
Supporting
Discourse
SOCIAL
PRESENCE
Setting
Climate
EDUCATIONAL
EXPERIENCE
TEACHING PRESENCE
COGNITIVE
PRESENCE
Confirming
Meaning
Middle of Course
Supporting
Discourse
SOCIAL
PRESENCE
Setting
Climate
EDUCATIONAL
EXPERIENCE
TEACHING PRESENCE
COGNITIVE
PRESENCE
Confirming
Meaning
End of Course
Supporting
Discourse
SOCIAL
PRESENCE
Setting
Climate
EDUCATIONAL
EXPERIENCE
TEACHING PRESENCE
COGNITIVE
PRESENCE
Confirming
Meaning
Structural Equation Model
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Using the CoI survey instrument, two studies
have explored causal relationships among the
presences in the CoI framework (Garrison,
Cleveland-Innes & Fung; Shea & Bidjerano, in
press)
The results confirm the theoretical predictions
of the framework.
Q6
Q11
.41*
Q19
.59*
.67*
Q23
Q25
.82*
.68*
Q26
.68*
Q27
.49*
Q31
.80*
Q34
. 70*
SOCIAL
PRESENCE
Q2
Q1
.57*
.74*
.40(.10)*
Q5
Q3
.77*
.55*
.52(.11)*
Q7
.71*
Q8
Q4
.76*
Q12
.70*
Q9
.64
Q10
.72*
Q14
COGNITIVE
PRESENCE
.44*
.77*
.51(.09)*
TEACHING
PRESENCE
.71*
Q16
.66*
.72*
Q17
.75*
.73*
.78*
.50*
.74*
.74*
Q18
Q15
Q21
Q20
Q22
Q13
.58*
Q28
.51*
Q30
.70*
Q24
.83*
Q29
.86*
.03(.07)
.10(.05)*
-.04(.07)
-.03(.05)
Q33
Q32
.03(.07)
-.02(.07)
* Significant at .05
( ) Standard Error
Gender
Program
1.00
1.00
Gender
Program
Figure 1: Model of the relationships among teaching, cognitive and social presence
Summary
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Much more work needs to be done.
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Creating and sustaining a collaborative
community of inquiry will require an
understanding of the dynamics among and
within the presences.
CoI Survey
To investigate disciplinary effects thoroughly
and to establish generalizable predictors of online course effectiveness, greater emphasis on
multi-course, multidisciplinary, and multiinstitutional studies must become a priority in
on-line course research.
Arbaugh, 2005, p. 70
CoI Instrument Development
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Dec 2006 – review of CoI research; agreement
upon survey items
Spring 2007 – beta testing; items revised
Fall 2007 – data collected (n=287) across
spectrum of courses at four institutions in USA
and Canada; factor analysis conducted
Two subsequent studies have confirmed these
findings (Garrison, Cleveland-Innes & Fung; unpublished;
Shea, in press)
TEACHING PRESENCE
1
2
3
1. The instructor clearly communicated important course topics.
0.826
0.088
0.067
2. The instructor clearly communicated important course goals.
0.877
-0.021
0.046
3. The instructor provided clear instructions on how to participate in course learning
activities.
0.592
0.246
-0.035
4. The instructor clearly communicated important due dates/time frames for learning
activities.
0.611
0.078
0.040
5. The instructor was helpful in identifying areas of agreement and disagreement on
course topics that helped me to learn.
0.579
0.162
-0.138
6. The instructor was helpful in guiding the class towards understanding course topics
in a way that helped me clarify my thinking.
0.575
0.091
-0.281
7. The instructor helped to keep course participants engaged and participating in
productive dialogue.
0.633
0.149
-0.160
8. The instructor helped keep the course participants on task in a way that helped me
to learn.
0.579
0.042
-0.285
9. The instructor encouraged course participants to explore new concepts in this
course.
0.523
0.099
-0.233
10. Instructor actions reinforced the development of a sense of community among
course participants.
0.569
0.174
-0.176
11. The instructor helped to focus discussion on relevant issues in a way that helped
me to learn.
0.425
0.146
-0.374
12. The instructor provided feedback that helped me understand my strengths and
weaknesses relative to the course’s goals and objectives.
0.649
-0.123
-0.201
13. The instructor provided feedback in a timely fashion.
0.513
-0.025
-0.103
SOCIAL PRESENCE
1
2
3
14. Getting to know other course participants gave me a sense of belonging in the course.
0.050
0.619
-0.233
15. I was able to form distinct impressions of some course participants.
0.172
0.473
0.013
16. Online or web-based communication is an excellent medium for social interaction.
-0.181
0.674
-0.226
17. I felt comfortable conversing through the online medium.
-0.039
0.814
0.015
18. I felt comfortable participating in the course discussions.
0.109
0.788
0.005
19. I felt comfortable interacting with other course participants.
0.286
0.701
0.038
20. I felt comfortable disagreeing with other course participants while still maintaining a sense
of trust.
0.103
0.620
-0.034
21. I felt that my point of view was acknowledged by other course participants.
0.319
0.556
0.025
22. Online discussions help me to develop a sense of collaboration.
0.047
0.561
-0.340
COGNITIVE PRESENCE
1
2
3
-0.099
0.172
-0.785
24. Course activities piqued my curiosity.
0.064
0.070
-0.712
25. I felt motivated to explore content related questions.
0.082
-0.031
-0.770
26. I utilized a variety of information sources to explore problems posed in this course.
0.078
-0.158
-0.759
27. Brainstorming and finding relevant information helped me resolve content related
questions.
-0.106
0.130
-0.794
28. Online discussions were valuable in helping me appreciate different perspectives.
-0.096
0.286
-0.699
29. Combining new information helped me answer questions raised in course activities.
0.101
0.043
-0.716
30. Learning activities helped me construct explanations/solutions.
0.128
0.030
-0.732
31. Reflection on course content and discussions helped me understand fundamental concepts
in this class.
0.008
0.237
-0.640
32. I can describe ways to test and apply the knowledge created in this course.
0.239
-0.097
-0.619
33. I have developed solutions to course problems that can be applied in practice.
0.147
0.026
-0.653
34. I can apply the knowledge created in this course to my work or other non-class related
activities.
0.171
-0.041
-0.687
23. Problems posed increased my interest in course issues.
The CoI, Age & Level
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Recently completed study (n = 4397) revealed
that age and program level may have an impact
on the loading of teaching and cognitive
presence on separate factors
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Come to Sea Perl 4 at 1:15 on Tuesday to find
out more
Conclusion
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????
Website
http://communitiesofinquiry.com/