garcia-paine ma thesis 1 the community of inquiry learning model

Garcia-Paine MA Thesis 1

THE COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY LEARNING MODEL APPLIED TO THE DESIGN OF A

COMMUNICATION ONLINE COURSE

A Master’s Project

Presented to the Faculty in Communication and Leadership Studies

School of Professional Studies

Gonzaga University

Under the Direction of Nobuya Inagaki

Under the Mentorship of Dr. Alex Kuskis

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership Studies

By Kelly W. Garcia-Paine

May 2012


ABSTRACT

Online education has experienced a significant growth, especially in higher education settings, in

both enrollments and in institutional course and program offerings. Some scholars doubt the

efficacy of online programs even though research has revealed that there are “no significant

differences (NSD) in student outcomes between alternate modes of education delivery” (Russell,

2010, para 1). There are many indicators that reveal positive effects of online education on

students’ learning. Course effectiveness can be influenced by many factors such as students’

approach to learning, quality of the course content and course design, and pedagogical practices.

This project employed the community of inquiry model (Garrison & Archer, 2000) to evaluate

online courses, based on the capability of the course to encourage and sustain higher-order

thinking and cognitive engagement in students through developing social, cognitive, and

teaching presence in an online learning environment, the three major tenets of the model. This

project designed an undergraduate level online interpersonal communication course, created with

specific course components and pedagogical practices that have been recognized by the research

as essential components that foster and sustain cognitive engagement through the development of

social, cognitive and teaching presence.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 5 Study Purpose and Significance 8 Organization of Remaining Chapters 8 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 9 Philosophical Assumptions 9 Theoretical basis 10 The Literature 11 Rationale 18 Design Questions 18 CHAPTER 3: SCOPE AND METHOD 20 Design 20 Procedure 20 Ethical Considerations and Researcher Perspective 21 Strengths and Limitations 22

CHAPTER 4: THE PROJECT 24 Introduction 24 Project Description 24 The Project 35 CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 39 Limitations of the Project 39 Recommendations for Further Studies 40 Conclusion 40 REFERENCES 42 APPENDIX 1: Colorado Common Course Description 47 APPENDIX 2: Start Here Module Screen Shots 51 APPENDIX 3: Syllabus Screen Shots 54 APPENDIX 4: Discussions Screen Shots 61 APPENDIX 5: Homepage Screen Shots 62 APPENDIX 6: Course Links Screen Shots 63 APPENDIX 7: Modules Screen Shots 64 APPENDIX 8: Unit 1 Screen Shots 65 Mentor Agreement Form 67


CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

The rate of online enrollment in post-secondary institutions continues to rise sharply each

year, despite predictions that growth would level off (Sloan Consortium, 2010). A survey

conducted by the Sloan Consortium in 2010 reported that in the fall of 2009, 5.6 million students

or nearly 30% of all the college and university students in the U.S. were taking one or more

online classes. Additionally, online enrollment increased 21% in 2009, far surpassing the 2%

overall growth of higher education enrollment (Sloan Consortium, 2010). This growth in online

enrollment has motivated colleges and universities in the United States to develop and

implement more online courses, programs, and even entire degrees are now offered online (Sloan

Consortium, 2010).

Despite the increasing popularity of online courses among learners as evidenced by

sharply increasing annual enrollment and institutions implementing and expanding their online

programs, online education has not been without its critics. Some scholars have voiced concerns

that “online education lessens the opportunity for student connection with faculty and other

students [and] reduces academic and social integration into the learning process” (Sherblom,

2010, p. 497). In addition, research conducted on the efficacy of online course instruction as

compared to traditional instruction has been inconclusive as to whether one format is more or

less effective than another (Benoit, Benoit, Milyo & Hansen, 2006). Research compiled by

Thomas Russel (2001) suggests that there is “no significant difference” in students’ learning

outcomes when the different teaching mediums are compared. Although it has been well

documented that individual student motivation directly affects learning outcomes (Shea &

Bidjerano, 2009; Shea, Fredericksen, Pickett, Pelz, & Swan, 2001), the rapid growth and

relatively new medium for instruction makes it important to make explicit the role of course


design and pedagogical practices used in an online course that affect individual student learning.

In order to evaluate or measure the efficacy of a course, whether online or face-to-face, the

desired learning outcomes must be defined. The deep and surface learning concept developed by

Biggs (1987) defined three different approaches to student learning outcomes: (1) achievement

learning in which the student focuses learning to maximize grades; (2) surface learning that

entails memorizing and studying knowledge pieces to meet course requirements; and (3) deep

learning in which the student seeks to understand and interrelate the ideas with prior knowledge

and experience. This project will prioritize higher order thinking or deep learning as the desired

learning outcome for a post-secondary course. This approach exists within the historical

framework of critical thinking as an alternative to the “the overarching emphasis of instruction

from rote memorization” (Paul, 1997, para 1) that traditionally invaded our classrooms. Higher

order thinking requires more profound cognitive engagement that is exemplified by critical

analysis and problem solving (Bloom, 1956). The achievement of higher order thinking is

affected by student approaches to learning.

Three main models have been produced to evaluate the efficacy of online learning

courses in the higher education setting: the personal inquiry model, the inquiry-based model, and

the community of inquiry model (Stein, Wanstreet, Glazer, Engle, Harris, Johnson, 2007). The

personal inquiry model developed by Hannifin, Land, & Oliver (1983) examines the components

of a course that enable individual and self-directed learning. The online inquiry-based learning

model developed by Lim (2001) assesses high-level thinking promoted by an online course by

examining all course components such as facilitators, resources, activities, guides, content, and

tools in terms of an integrated supportive network. The community of inquiry model created by

Garrison, Anderson & Archer (2000) also evaluates the development of higher order thinking or


deep learning, but the model focuses on the communication that occurs in the online educational

settings. The model evaluates good or effective online courses in the higher education setting

through three major components: social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence.

These three components overlap with one another to illuminate particular areas of

communication and pedagogical practice that contribute to the ‘educational experience’ in the

online education setting (Garrison, Anderson, Archer, & Rourke, 2007). Figure 1 shows a visual

representation of this community of inquiry model.

Figure 1. The community of inquiry Model (Garrison et al., 2000)

The community of inquiry framework developed by Garrison and Archer (2000) focuses

on a community of learners or “a group of individuals who collaboratively engage in purposeful

critical discourse and reflection to construct personal meaning and confirm mutual


understanding” (Garrison & Anderson, 2003, p.15). This framework operates well to understand

the way in which communication functions in online computer-‐mediated communication (CMC)

courses as an effective tool for the development of higher order thinking skills in its participants.

John Dewey (1938), like many of the other constructivist educational theorists from the

progressive school of thinking, believed that teaching and learning is inherently a social event

and that communication is essential to the learning process (Dewey, 1938; Stein et al, 2007). The

community of inquiry model (Garrison et al, 2000) provides a framework that can help analyze

and understand the communication needed in an online course if it is to promote higher order

thinking skills in its participants.

Study Purpose and Significance

Because of the continuous growth of online students and programs in the United States

and the many degrees that are currently being awarded fully online from baccalaureate to PhD,

there is a need for understanding what makes an online course effective, inasmuch as it promotes

higher level thinking skills among students participating in the course.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate, analyze, and apply the pedagogical practices that

have been identified by research to promote higher order thinking or deep learning in online

students.


CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Philosophical Assumptions

The purpose of the post secondary educational experience is not only to acquire

knowledge but also learn how to think, analyze, and apply knowledge to new and different

problems; as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. posited in an article he wrote for The Maroon Tiger in

1947, “The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think

critically” (King, M., 1992, p. 124). Although individual student motivations behind electing to

take a course vary greatly, nevertheless, the purpose of higher education should remain to

promote higher order thinking in the students. Such factors as instructor teaching approach

motivation and an institution’s philosophy and policy may influence the realization of this ideal.

The student’s motivation is not something that can be controlled, but essential elements of course

design and examined pedagogical practices can be implemented to foster the kinds of higher

order thinking, such as critical analysis and problem solving, that serve to fulfill the purpose of

higher education.

Promoting higher order thinking in online learning environments requires more than

transferring traditional pedagogical practices and course content to the online course, but rather

requires unique course elements and pedagogical practices that align to the medium. Online

learning environments have been closely studied to distill the best practices for developing and

fostering meaningful learning experiences. The question regarding course quality and learning

outcomes is not due to insufficient research. The issue has arisen in part because of the rapid

expansion of this field of education that has pushed faculty and institutions into having to

develop programs to satisfy the demand without consideration of the differences in online

learning environments as compared to the more traditional face-to-face (F2F) classroom


environments. Another issue contributing to online course quality is the assumption that

pedagogical practices and course material need only be transferred to the online medium. This

position neglects to take into account the fundamental differences, limitations, and potential of

online learning platforms. Although both traditional and online learning environments aspire to

achieve higher order thinking in students, these two different learning environments must not be

thought to function in the same way.

Theoretical Basis

The educational philosopher and educator John Dewey (1938) believed that learning is an

inherently social practice that benefits from the shared experience among learners. Dewey also

believed that “through collaboration that respected the individual, students would assume

responsibility to actively construct and confirm meaning” (Swan, Garrison, & Richardson, 2009

p. 3). This constructivist approach to learning has been a cornerstone of higher learning that has

focused on discourse and reflection within a community (Swan et al., 2009). Garrison and

Archer (2000) posit that the collaborative exchanges within a community of learners generate

ideas and knowledge and reflection and critical analysis lead to the formation of meaning. Deep

learning comes from both exchanges within the community and individual reflection. The

community of inquiry framework assumes that higher order or deep learning come from the

development of community. Three overlapping elements; social, cognitive, and teaching

presence interact to create the meaningful educational experience as understood by John Dewey

(Swan et al., 2009).

Similar to traditional classroom settings, online courses must also develop and foster

ways in which students and instructors learn through shared learning experiences. Research

focused specifically on CMC and e-learning environments has revealed tools and practices to


foster meaningful learning experiences through the development of social, cognitive, and

teaching presence. The purpose of this project is to apply research findings on online

pedagogical practices to promote deep learning through fostering social, cognitive, and teaching

presence by developing an online undergraduate communication course.

The Literature

This review of literature is divided and presented into the three areas of focus of the

community of inquiry framework (Garrison et al., 2000) as they contribute to deep and

meaningful learning: social presence, cognitive presence, and instructor/teaching presence.

Social Presence

The community of inquiry model understands social presence as the ability of a member

of a community of inquiry to project themselves both socially and emotionally and “present

themselves as ‘real’ people” (Rourke, Anderson, & Garrison, 2001) Social presence theory was

first developed by Short, Williams and Christie (1976) as to tool to understand the effects that

telecommunications can have on human communication. Social presence theory posits that the

degree of awareness of others in an interaction is affected by the medium used in the

communication exchange (Short et al., 1976). People conceptualize various media as having a

higher or lower degree of social presence based on the media’s capacity to convey warmth and

sociability or its limitation to cold or impersonal communication (Short et al., 1976). Video is

thought to have a higher social presence than audio because the participants in the

communication event can see the other person and perceive non-verbal and social cues that are

absent in audio or text based communication. Audio has a lower degree of social presence than

video because the image of the other participant is not available, however the voice, tone,

inflections and other social and non-verbal communicative cues are present. Text-based


communication has even less social presence than does audio because it lacks the human non-

verbal and relational cues that lessen the awareness of others in a communication exchange. The

decrease in non-verbal and social-cues limits the information about the communicator and makes

them seem less “real” (Sherblom, 2010). The definition of social presence has evolved from its

earliest understanding posited by Williams and Christie (1976) to denote the sense of being

present or “real” (Gunawardena, 1995) and later to indicate “the ability of participants in a

community to project themselves, socially and emotionally, as real people through a medium of

communication” (Garrison, & Anderson, 2000, p. 94) as well as the development of

interpersonal and emotional bonds or communities (Picciano, 2002).

Despite early theoretical models of social presence that focused on what communicative

aspects are lost through the use of various media, research has concluded that high degrees of

social presence can be achieved through asynchronous text-based CMC in online courses

(Gunwardena, 1995, Gunwardena & Zittle 1997, Rourke, Anderson, Garrison, & Archer, 1999).

Social information processing theory (Walther, 1992) suggests that people are inclined to act

according to their social nature whether communicating via CMC or face-to-face (F2F) and will

find ways to compensate for the lack of non-verbal cues through other means. For example,

Gunawardena & Zittle (1997) found that students use alternative methods of developing social

presence by using such tools as emoticons to express non-verbal cues. For Rourke et al. (1999),

social presence developed through CMC is not equivalent to common F2F communication and

cannot be evaluated in the same way. In his study he did, however, identify three distinct

categories of social presence evident in online text-based class communication: affective

responses that expressed emotions or feelings, interactive responses that facilitated responses and

rejoinders, and cohesive responses that expressed inclusivity (Rourke et al., 1999).


Learning is a social process and that happens in communities whether they are F2F

communities or online communities (Garrison et al., 2000). Online communities form when an

online space is provided for the purposes of sharing, learning, talking or other interaction

between people who share a common interest. Online learning management systems (LMS) or

course management systems (CMS) provide such spaces for students to form learning

communities. Successful online communities have active participation from most all of its

members. Research has shown that social presence is vital to developing an online community

and fostering active participation (Picciano, 2002). Frequent interaction among students and with

the instructor that is characterized by reciprocity and collaboration creates group cohesiveness

and has been found to create greater perceived learning and greater overall course satisfaction

(Gunawardena, 1995). Contemporary research on social presence in the online educational

setting has focused on learners’ attitudes or behaviors and found a high correlation between

social presence and perceived student satisfaction (Gunawardena, 1995). In that sense, Picciano

(2002) made a distinction between interaction and presence noting that presence involved being

cognitively engaged. “Social interaction is necessary to establish relationships and to create a

secure climate that will provide the foundation for a deep and meaningful educational

experience” (Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005, p. 141-142).

Cognitive Presence

The second component of the community of inquiry model is cognitive presence.

According to Garrison et al. (2001) “cognitive presence is the extent to which learners are able to

construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse” and Garrison and

Cleveland-Innes (2005), cognitive presence is the ability of students to construct meaning

through communication. This understanding of learning is rooted in the work of Dewey (1938)


who asserted that higher levels of learning developed through practical inquiry and critical

thinking come from a four-phase process that begins with a ‘triggering event’ followed by

‘exploration,’ ‘integration’ and ‘resolution.’ The triggering event is when a student encounters a

problem. The exploration phase involves the exchange of information or the solicitation of

suggestions. The integration phase involves linking concepts and developing hypotheses. The

resolution phase is when students defend their conclusions or revise them (Garrison et al., 2000).

Critical thinking is understood as a process as well as an outcome inasmuch as the individual

gains a deep understanding of the particular subject studied (the outcome), and the student’s

acquisition of the skill to examine a problem critically (the process) (Garrison et al., 2000). This

perspective is “comprehensive and includes creativity, problem solving, intuition, and insight”

(Garrison et al., 2000, p. 3).

Early research on the subject of CMC focused on discovering what aspects of

communication was lost by the introduction of various media. Garrison (2007) takes a distinctly

different approach to understanding CMC in the achievement of high-level critical thinking or

cognitive presence. He posits that because cognitive presence requires both time for reflection

and for discourse, the asynchronous nature of communication in an online learning community

provides opportunities for high cognitive presence.

However, despite the potential advantages provided by the asynchronous online learning

environment to facilitate the engagement and reflection required for critical thinking, some

research findings related to the achievement of higher order learning or cognitive presence has

found that some online students do not tend to reach high stages of cognitive presence (Garrison

et al, 2000; Garrison & Cleveland–Innes, 2005; Rourke & Kanuka, 2009). On the other hand,

other findings, such as the study conducted by Shea and Bidjerano (2009) reported that the


majority of the students they surveyed demonstrated very high levels of cognitive presence. Shea

and Bidjerano (2009) suggest that the differences in the findings relate to how and where

evidence of cognitive presence is demonstrated and examined. The researchers believed that

cognitive presence is not prominent in online text-based interactions such as discussion threads, a

commonly used tool in online courses, because they are intended to initiate rather than conclude

inquiry (Shea and Bidjerano, 2009). Meaningful and deep learning can be found in other course

components and assignments like student-led discussions, group projects and presentations, and

the creation of wikis and blikis that combine both wiki and weblog formats to allow content

building in a cross-linked format (Fowler, 2003).

In order to further understand students’ cognitive presence in online courses, Garrison

and Cleveland-Innes (2005) used the concept of deep and surface learning first developed by

Biggs (1987) that identified three student approaches to learning: deep, surface, and

achievement. The deep approach to learning involves meaningful examination and reflection.

Surface learning requires the least cognitive presence and is used to satisfy the minimum

learning outcomes. The achievement approach to learning is focused on demonstrated learning

and achieving external rewards. Their research indicated the way a student approached learning

was heavily influenced by the course design and teaching presence. Achievement of optimal

learning outcomes for students in the higher education setting is directly affected by the course

design and teaching presence.

Teaching Presence

The third and last component of the community of inquiry model is teaching presence,

which has been defined as the way in which course design, facilitation, and guidance provided in

a course aids in purposeful and meaningful learning (Garrison et al., 2000). In a sense, the social


and cognitive components of the community of inquiry framework converge in this teaching

presence category. Teaching is the primary means of unifying the social and cognitive

components to of the learning process (Garrison, 2001). Garrison and Cleveland-Innes (2005)

posit that the learning process “must be coordinated and synergistic [and] requires an

understanding of the medium of communication, the process of higher-order learning, and the

critical role of teaching presence in attaining higher order learning outcomes” (p. 21).

A considerable body of research indicates that teaching presence in online courses is

crucial to student learning (Garrison et al, 2000; Shea et al, 2001; Angeli, Valanidez, and Bonk,

2003; Garrison and Cleveland-Innes, 2005; Garrison, 2007; Shea and Bidjerano, 2009).

“Students’ experience of teaching presence has a direct effect on their perceptions of social

presence, both of which contribute to the quality of their cognitive presence”(Shea & Bidjerano

2009, p. 201). Research conducted by Swan and Shih (2005) revealed a high correlation between

students’ perceived learning and interaction with the instructor. Furthermore, research conducted

by Angeli et al. (2003) reported a decline in justified opinions and claims and supported

reasoning in class discussions where teacher presence was low. The discussions were primarily

exchanges of personal experiences.

Not only does teaching presence lead to satisfaction and create the perception of learning

among students, but it has also been found to influence greatly the way students approach

involvement and learning in an online course. The study conducted by Garrison and Cleveland-

Innes (2005) examined the way in which course design and teaching influence whether a student

achieves surface, achievement, or a deep approach to learning in a course offering. Although

various factors contributed to a student’s adopting one learning approach over another, the most

significant factor in the student’s adoption of the deep learning approach in an online class was


the active and meaningful engagement of the instructor that guided the learning environment and

expectations.

The role of the teacher and teaching presence is of utmost importance for the community

of inquiry inasmuch as the teacher has the power to develop and implement identified

pedagogical practices that promote social and cognitive presences and thus, deep learning.

Best Practices for Online Learning Course Design

Research within the community of inquiry framework (Garrison, 2007; Garrison et al,

2001; Garrison and Cleveland-Innes, 2005; Stacey, 2002; Stodel, Thompson, & MacDonald,

2006; Sherblom, 2010) has identified several points of pedagogical practices to encourage social

presence and cognitive presence:

Pedagogical practices found to enhance social presence:

• Creation of a productive and secure learning space through high teaching

presence

• Frequent and timely interaction with students

• Implementation of small group tasks

• Clearly defined communicative expectations

• Instructor modeling of communicative behavior

• Provision of clear participation requirements: content, length, frequency, tone

• Assignment of appropriate activities including individual and collaborative/group

assignments.

Pedagogical practices found to enhance cognitive presence:

• Manageable content that allows time for reflection

• Frequent assessments that align with learning objectives


• Teacher modeling of contributions

• Provision of engaging questions and focus the discussion that challenge ideas

• Encouragement of deeper engagement with the material through frequent and

timely feedback

• Student-‐led discussions

• Provision of time for reflection

• Provision of spaces for spontaneity and emergent design, such as wikis and blikis

to build course content

Rationale

The research has revealed the importance of social, cognitive, and teaching presences

for meaningful and effective educational experiences. Pedagogical practices specific to

online courses need to be incorporated into course design and instruction as a means of

fostering social, cognitive and teaching presence within the course to promote higher order

learning and meaningful learning experiences. This project aimed at designing an online

course that incorporated the best practices and tools identified by the community of inquiry

framework. The development of the course allowed me to analyze and consider the use of the

tools and practices throughout the development process.

Design Questions

The following study answers the following design question:

How can online course designers incorporate knowledge from the community of inquiry

framework to design online courses that utilize tools and instruments to promote social and

cognitive presence in the course?


In order to answer this question, I requested a blank course shell from the Instructional

Technology Department at Gonzaga to design an undergraduate-level communication course

titled “COM 115 – Interpersonal Communication”. This course is aligned to the Colorado

Common Course Standards.


CHAPTER 3. SCOPE AND METHOD

This project is a review, analysis, and application of effective teaching practices in an

online learning environment. Specifically, this project designed an undergraduate college-level

Communication course (COM 125 – Interpersonal Communication – “the online course”). The

course design includes specific and purposive design components and pedagogical approaches

identified by the research as methods that solicit social/cognitive engagement and deep learning.

Design

This is a qualitative research project completed in the Spring semester of 2012 as part of

the requirements for completion of a Masters degree at a western university in the United States.

The use of qualitative methods is justified by the purpose of this study, which, briefly, aimed to

apply research-based principles of sound e-learning pedagogy to the design and creation of an

online course.

I employed a sequential explanatory and creative qualitative design model (Creswell,

2003), where the qualitative data obtained from the review of the research was coded. From

analysis of this coding, several e-learning practices were identified that were replicated and

implemented in the creation and design of the online course.

Procedure

Project creation occurred following these four steps:

1. I conducted a review of the research and literature on effective social and cognitive presence

in online pedagogy, as delineated by the Community of Inquiry Framework (see Chapter 2).

Several online pedagogical practices emerged from this review that are identified as effective

tools for social and cognitive presence in online pedagogy.


2. I contacted the IT department at the university to ask for access to a blank “sandbox” shell in

Blackboard, to be used for the creation of the online course.

3. I examined current Colorado Common Core State Standards for their COM 125-

Interpersonal Communication and downloaded the Course Description, Competencies, and

Course Outline (See Appendix 1). This examination was conducted in order to align the

creation of the online course with specific state requirements.

4. I created the class inside the blank shell in Blackboard provided by the university. The

creation of the course followed the following steps:

a. I reviewed textbooks on Interpersonal Communication used for undergraduate-level

courses and selected one whose content was very similar to the Table of Content

specified by the Colorado Common Core Standards for the course.

b. I divided the content of the textbook into ten different modules that aligned with the

book’s structure, learning outcomes, and time for student familiarization with the

course and conclusion and reflection.

c. I populated the course with the content as discussed in Chapter 4.

Ethical Considerations and Researcher Perspective

This study did not employ human or animal subjects and it was limited to the creation of

an online course informed by a review of the research on social and cognitive presence in online

pedagogy as delineated by the community of inquiry framework. Thus, there were no ethical

issues involving living subjects for this study.

The course design includes the use of video content among other features as a tool for

developing social and teacher presence, however, the course design is compliant with Americans


with Disabilities Act and provides accompanying text files so the use of video or audio files does

not favor any ability.

As a researcher it was important to understand my position with respect to this study: my

interest for the topic of this study was purely professional and it was two-fold: on one hand, I

was completing this project as a partial requirement for the successful completion of an MA

degree at an western university in the United States; on the other hand, it was my personal and

professional goal to become an online teacher and thus, I selected this topic as a practical and

academic way to explore more in depth some of the important aspects surrounding effective e-

learning experiences.

I have also been an online student for many years, which has led me to form my own

opinions on the effectiveness of online courses. In addition, I reflected on my personal

preferences and biases as an online student about course design and pedagogical practices. This

self-reflection was conducted and considered before reaching any conclusions about effective

pedagogical tools as a way of not letting my biases influence the results of this project.

Strengths and Limitations

One of the strengths of this study is that there has been a lot of research done in the last

couple of decades on what is effective online pedagogy. This body of research has provided me

with specific effective tools that have informed the design of the online course. In addition, the

creation process allowed me to answer my research question more critically, since the process of

course design from an empty shell urged me to conduct a deep analysis of each component of the

course being constructed.

The main weakness of my study is that the course will not be tested with a class of

students. This would provide an opportunity to correct any flaws or problems with the course and


attend to any specific issue that may detract from developing social, teacher and cognitive

presence in the community.


CHAPTER 4. THE PROJECT

Introduction

This project designed an online undergraduate-level course in Communication titled

GORG471_COMM_STU_0000: Comm 125 Interpersonal Communication, using the Blackboard

Course Management System. The design and actual creation of the course was guided by two

overarching principles: (1) alignment to specific State Content Standards as delineated by the

Course Outcomes; and (2) application of the sound and effective pedagogical principles found in

the Community of Inquiry Model (Garrison et al., 2000). The course contains tools and activities

that have been aligned to specific outcomes and that, I believe, reflect the principles of cognitive,

social, and teaching presences outlined in the Community of Inquiry Model.

This chapter presents the final project description by its components: Syllabus, Modules,

Discussions, and Announcements. In addition, the chapter also specifies the activities and tools

employed in the course, their alignment to course outcomes, and what type of presence they

promote in the course.

Project Description

This project created an online course that contained different activities and tools. I

classified all the activities and tools in the course under five major categories: (1) Start Here

Module, (2) Syllabus, (3) Learning Modules, (4) Discussions, and (5) Announcements. This

section presents all of the tools and activities in the online course by category.

Start Here Module

The Start Here Module was the first step in the creation of my course. This is where the

students are provided with a general overview and tour of the course. This module also guides

students through the necessary steps they will need to take in order to complete and be successful


in the course. Increasing online enrollment suggests that there may be students enrolled in the

course that are new to online learning. The start here module addresses students who do not

know what to do first. This is a tool intended to reduce uncertainty in students and therefore

remove a potential barrier to social and cognitive presence.

The Start Here Module begins with a general familiarization of the course layout and

procedural guidelines that indicate to students my expectations of them while, at the same time,

indicating the things they should expect of me as an instructor. The tour of the course, which I do

in the form of a video tour, and presentation of the course guidelines and expectations are

intended to allow students to familiarize themselves with the course layout and with the proper

procedures and expectations for such things as late submission policies, communication and

contact with the instructor, and general course policies related to attendance, internet etiquette or

netiquette, and plagiarism. The expectations section is also where the student will find the

communicative expectations of the instructor. The instructor informs the student that they may

expect timely responses and feedback with specific time frames assigned to emails, phone

messages, discussion postings, and graded assignments. As indicated in the Community of

Inquiry Model, social presence is enhanced by the instructor providing clear participation

requirements and by frequent and timely interaction with students; whereas cognitive presence is

enhanced through frequent and timely feedback that encourages deeper engagement with the

material. In this section, students are also presented with specific communicative expectations of

participants in the class that include such things as the tone, length, content, and frequency of

communication that occurs in the different course areas. The social presence of students depends

on the instructor being able to create a secure and productive learning environment for students

to engage with each other and the course material. Students are informed that the members of the


class and the instructor are part a learning community where all members will be treated with

dignity and respect. Links to websites that discuss proper Web etiquette, conflict resolution, and

appropriate self-disclosure in the classroom are posted in this section. Lastly, the students are

told to use college level language and grammar in all communication that happens within the

class including email correspondence.

I believe the Start here Module is a basic and very important component of my online

course design because it provides a space for social and teaching presences by means of having

me communicate with students what my expectations are for this class. The tone I use in the file

that tells students what to expect may easily set the tone for the rest of the semester since this is

the first page most students will read and encounter upon entering the course and is also the first

discourse model provided for the community. The teaching presence comes, mostly, in the form

of my video tour of the course, where students are able to see me and hear me as I engage in

audio visual teaching of how to navigate the course and where to find important information

about the course. Providing a discourse model contributes to cognitive engagement through

teacher modeling.

Although some of the information contained in the module is applicable to many courses,

such as college policies on plagiarism and netiquette, this module includes information specific

to this particular course. Teaching presence is created in the Start Here Module through the

presentation of instructor-specific preferences and guidelines. It is the responsibility of the

course instructor to create a secure and productive learning environment. The tone and formality

of this module is the first encounter students will have with the course and serves as the first

example of the communicative norms and standards that will be expected of all members of the

course.


Syllabus

The Syllabus is, without a doubt, one of the most important documents for any course.

This is where students and faculty enter a “contract” wherein each agrees to the terms specified

by the syllabus. The syllabus outlines and is divided into subsections that include (1) basic

course information including the title, the official catalog description of the course, credits

earned, state competencies, as well as (2) instructor information, (3) required and optional course

materials, (4) assignment descriptions, (5) grading rubrics, and (6) the course schedule. As with

the Start here Module, the overall tone of the syllabus is fairly formal, but is not intimidating so

as not to present an early and unnecessary barrier to student engagement. There are several

points within the syllabus that call for the application of specific course design and pedagogical

practices that can enhance the learning experience for students.

Course Information. This is a basic informational section of the course where students

can find the course title, the official catalog description of the course, credits earned, and the

learning outcomes for the course. Within Course Information, I include, again, the course Video

tour I created that may help many students familiarize themselves with navigating the course,

especially those students who are unfamiliar with the particular online learning platform, which,

in this case is Blackboard. This section and the video provide a basic level of social and teaching

presence in the classroom.

Instructor Information. This section contains a link to an introduction video where I

introduce myself and share information about myself with the class; information like educational

background, hobbies, and other general personal information about my family and me, that is

also provided in text format. This section and the video provide a sense of the instructor’s social

presence, because it humanizes the instructor, which in a virtual environment, is an added benefit


since many times, in online learning, the instructor is solely represented by a name on a screen.

At this point of the course, the students have already been exposed to a General Course

Introductory video, a Course Video tour, and an Instructor Information video that are also

provided in text form, all components that increase teacher and social presences in the course.

Also in this section, students can find the instructor’s contact information, inviting

students to contact the instructor via phone, videoconference, and email. In this section, as

identified by the research, I inform students that they should expect me to respond to all

correspondence within 24-28 hours. In addition, I offer students specific office-hours times when

we could connect via phone or videoconference. I also encourage students to post general

questions and comments to the course Q&A section in the discussion board where they may post

anonymously if they wish.

Course Materials. This is another very basic section of the course where technical

information about the course materials is displayed. Teaching presence occurs when extra

information beyond the textbook title and ISBN information is included, like a link to the

publisher’s website, and a link to any complementary online materials linked to the textbook and

made available to students by the publisher.

Activities and Design. This section is a major component of the course and an important

tool for teaching presence since this is where students are given specific information on what

activities they need to complete in the course, with specific instructions as to how to complete

them. In addition, students are informed about the chapters in the textbook that will be covered in

each unit, which clearly delineates for them what reading and preparation expectations exist in

each unit.

Grading and Evaluation. The Grading and Evaluation section is where students can find


specific information on grading policies and assignment rubrics linked to the activities and

discussions. In addition, the grade distribution for the course and points assigned to each graded

activity in the course are also presented to students in the form of tables. This section is another

basic tool for teaching presence, inasmuch as it creates a space where grading and evaluation is

explained to students in clear language so as to avoid future grading conflicts.

Course Schedule. Another aid for students in the course syllabus is the Course Schedule.

This is provided to the student so they may see the pace of the class. Important dates are also

included in the individual modules; however, this course schedule is intended to present students

with various learning styles another visual representation of the pace and rhythm of the class.

Presenting students with manageable course content that permits time for reflection and

reengagement facilitate cognitive presence and deep learning. The calendar includes suggested

activities such as reading, posting, reflection, and responses in order to help students who may

otherwise procrastinate to engage early and often, while also having time for reflection and

continued deepening engagement with the material. The Course Schedule also serves as a tool

for social presence because the course is not self-paced but, on the contrary, it follows a set

schedule and students are expected to engage in the learning progression together, at roughly the

same pace. This allows for discussion topics to be discussed at the same time, all together, as a

class, a social learning group that learns with and from each other as we all engage in the same

activities and discuss the same prompts at the same time.

Learning Modules

The learning modules are divided into ten Units, each of the units encompassing a

particular chapter or chapters from the textbook. Every Unit follows an identical structure with

(1) an Introduction to each unit that describes desired learning outcomes and with a video,


accompanied by an optional text form, explaining the overall structure of the Unit; (2) Learning

Tools that may include course readings, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and external links;

and (3) Assignments specific to each Unit and designed to facilitate social and cognitive

presences.

Introduction. Every Unit begins with an Introduction section that clarifies what readings

are expected for the unit and what specific learning outcomes will be met in the Unit. In this

section, I post a video where I review the overall structure of the Unit and explain to students

what topics we will be covering, what they are expected to learn, and what they will need to

complete to accomplish that learning. Once again, social and teaching presences are enhanced by

the video presentation that accompanies the text in the page. As with all other videos, and in

compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) legislation, a transcript of the video

is attached to the section.

Learning Tools. This section includes materials and links that are given to students to

facilitate acquiring the learning outcomes identified for the Unit. Included are extra reading

materials such as scholarly articles given to students as PDF files. I also include external links

students can visit to expand on their understanding of the topics covered in the Unit. PowerPoint

presentations and mini-lectures are also included on this page. Finally, I like the idea of adding a

video where I provide my own mini-lecture on the topics covered in the Unit. As with the

previous section, the presence of the video (and its attached script), in combination with all the

other learning tools included in the section, facilitates social and teaching presences.

Assignments. Each Unit follows a very similar structure in term of assignments because

each Unit has a discussion that students need to participate in. Discussions are explained in depth

in the next section. In addition to the frequent discussion requirements, two major assignments


are found in the course that are intended to facilitate social presence and cognitive presence in

community members. As indicated by the Community of Inquiry Model, social presence can be

developed by the implementation of small group tasks as well as including individual and

collaborative assignments. Cognitive presence can be nurtured through providing spaces for

creative and emergent design such as wikis, blogs, and blikis, where students apply their

knowledge, individually or collaboratively, to create something. The first assignment is a small

group project that requires students that are assigned groups of 3-5 members (depending on

overall class size) to create a Wiki page that will be peer-reviewed and revised by the other

groups of students. This small-group Wiki Project is aligned to specific Learning Outcome XII,

to demonstrate understanding of the link between technology and interpersonal communication.

In addition, the Wiki has a free topic. Students can select the content on the Wiki to be aligned to

any of the topics already covered in class. The Wiki project is located inside Unit 5, the middle

of the course, and up to that point, the course has covered five major Interpersonal

Communication topics that are aligned to Learning Outcomes I-VII: Nature of Communication,

Self-Concept, Emotions, Language, and Listening. Thus, students can select one of those topics

as their background for their Wiki project, which will specify what particular Learning Outcome

is emphasized.

The second major assignment for the course cultivates cognitive presence by asking the

students to take the knowledge and an idea generated in the course and critically assesses a case

study of their choice that can be from their own experience or from a movie or television

program. This is an individual capstone project that requires careful consideration of a problem

presented in a case study and application of theory to resolve the problem. Depending on the

topic selected by the student for the project (i.e. language, technology, gender, culture,


emotions…), this course will fulfill different learning outcomes.

Discussions

I believe the discussion board is a critical learning space in an online course because this

is where the knowledge gained from the readings is applied, explored and challenged by the

community of learners. This is where most of the real-time interaction between students and the

instructor takes place. This is our classroom space for the course where exchanges of ideas occur

between students and with the instructor.

The ten units have a discussion with a different topic aligned to the Learning Outcomes

for the Course. In addition, Unit 1 and Unit 10 contain two extra Discussion threads:

Introductions, and Final Thoughts and Feedback. Moreover, 70% of the discussions are teacher-

led, whereas the remaining 30% are student-led discussions. Finally, 30% of the discussions are

conducted in small-groups of 3-5 students. The percentages of each type of discussion were

decided as a means of incorporating pedagogical practices that incorporate teacher modeling,

small group interaction and student led activities. The higher percentage of teacher led

discussions is a means of teacher modeling that will set the tone and the expectations for the

small-group student-led discussions. Cognitive presence is reinforced through teacher modeling,

which happens in the teacher-led discussions. Social and cognitive presences are developed

through student-led discussions and small group assignments. Ongoing social and cognitive

presence is supported by teacher presence that comes in the form of frequent and timely

responses in the discussion forums.

Introductions discussion: The first week of class is dedicated to posting Introductions.

The purpose of this first week and the Introductions discussions is two-folded: first, it serves as a

tool for developing social presence and second, since it is the only assignment for the week, it


gives students ample time to familiarize themselves with the course content and structure. In this

context, we know that students frustrated by the course layout or the inability to easily locate the

information they need will leave the course with a negative perception of the overall learning

experience (Brush, 2001). Giving students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the

online course platform through the Introductions discussion week allows students who may not

have previous experiences with online learning to move beyond their uncertainty around the

technological aspect and procedural requirements and engage with the material and other

students. Students who are experienced in online learning also benefit from the Introductions

discussion week by familiarizing themselves with the specific instructor preferences, course

policies, and getting to know classmates.

Teacher-led discussions. The majority of the graded discussions, specifically 70% or

seven of the ten graded discussions, are teacher-led discussions, which means I, the teacher, is in

charge of providing the prompt for the discussion. To encourage cognitive presence and move

beyond surface learning, for all graded discussions in the course, students are instructed to post

well-reasoned discussion entries and responses that are supported by research-based findings and

against posting shallow agreement responses. The first five discussion topics in the class (Unit 1

– Communication; Unit 2 – Self-Concept; Unit 3 – Perceptions; Unit 4 – Language; Unit 5 –

Listening; Unit 7 – Relationships; Unit 10 – Families and culture) are teacher-led so as to be able

to guide the discussion topic as well as model responses for the class members in both content

and frequency. The discussion prompts were constructed with the learning outcomes in mind, as

well as encouraging cognitive presence by soliciting responses that require critical thought and

deep exploration of the subject. My responses in the discussion board further encourage students

to consider the topic more deeply. This is in agreement with the constructivist view of education,


my role as a teacher is to guide students though the learning process and challenge them to think

critically and move toward a deeper understanding of the topic. References to other student posts

in my responses will encourage students to frequently engage with one another, facilitating social

presence.

Student-led discussions. Three of the ten discussions (30% of the discussions) are

student-led (Unit 6 – Emotions – Student-led; Unit 8 – Conflict – Student-led; Unit 9 –

Romance), which means that the students provide the prompts and questions for the discussions.

The general topic for the unit is provided by the chapter we are reading, but the specific

discussion questions are facilitated by the students. The discussions that are student-led begin to

appear in Unit 6 and ask the students to ask questions and facilitate discussions. Research

indicates that student-led discussions are a good means for developing social presence in the

course by narrowing the arena and allowing them to be heard and receive responses. The

frequency of interaction is likely to increase providing time and space for the development of

social presence. This activity also encourages cognitive engagement through student’s

consideration and formation of discussion questions and facilitating further exploration of the

topic with other members of the class.

Final Thoughts and Feedback discussion. The final thoughts and feedback discussion

postings permits students to respond to an open-ended question that encourages them to reflect

on how the knowledge they have gained aligns with or contradicts previous knowledge they have

(cognitive dissonance). This section is intended to do more than solicit opinions of the class or

whether they liked or disliked the subject matter. This discussion is intended to ask the students

to integrate the knowledge they have gained in the class by defending the acceptance or rejecting

the ideas through reasoned argument. Students are encouraged to respond to others and agree or


disagree with reasoned responses. Though the responses are not a requirement of the course, a

potentially positive indication of the success of the course to foster an active and productive

learning community may be seen in active and self-motivated responses to classmates.

Announcements

The announcements serve to maintain a teaching presence throughout the semester,

posting, at least two announcements per week. Announcements can serve many different

purposes: they can be used as reminders of upcoming assignments and due dates; they can be

used to address the entire class on a particular issue that arose during the lesson; they can be used

to give whole-class feedback on an unit or a discussion topic; or they can be used to provide

clarification or more information on a project. Regardless of their content, announcements are a

very effective tool for social and teaching presences in an online course, as they reveal a

“permanent” presence of the instructor in the course. Lecture notes or videos that are posted in

the class at the beginning of the course are effective in demonstrating an instructor’s social

presence but lose their sense of teacher presence because they do not create the feeling that the

teacher is participating in the same relative timeframe. The announcements, like the discussions,

are a space where students can get the sense that a real person in real-time is engaged with them

in the teaching and learning process.

The Project

This online course created contained all the activities and tools presented in this chapter.

One of the main goals of this project was to include components that promoted the three types of

presences outlined by the Community of Inquiry Model. In addition, the course needed to satisfy

and fulfill specific state-defined learning outcomes. Table 1 provides a Course Map that


delineates all the sections and components of my course and their alignment to the presences in

the Community of Inquiry Model and specific learning outcomes.

The class, titled GORG471_COMM_STU_0000: Comm 125 Interpersonal

Communication, can be found in the Gonzaga University Blackboard Course Management

System at http://learn.gonzaga.edu.

garcia-paine ma thesis 1 the community of inquiry learning model

Documents