Unit 2 Study Guide
How can we foster teaching presence?
Anderson et al. (2001) define teaching presence as design, facilitation and direction of cognitive and social processes for the purpose of
realizing personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomes. Next describe three categories of teaching presence and
later these categories are used to set a teaching guide. Through previous studies by other researchers, these guide hypotheses were
verified. In order to foster students to learn, tutor behavior (direct instruction) is necessary to gain and keep the learner's attention.
Tutor behavior is characterized by short messages acknowledging a student’s contribution and followed by guidance. Tagg and Dickenson
(1995) found that continual tutor behavior increases student activity. Also Fabro and Garrison (1998) said that the established presence
of a moderator, whose critical discourse and critique is vital, facilitates higher-order learning outcomes.
In order to facilitate discourse, you actively guide and strongly manage. Shea, Li and Pickett (2006)’s extensive research provides
empirical support for a connection between perceived teaching presence and students’ sense of learning community. Through the analysis of
1067 student surveys, students reported higher levels of learning community as students reported effective instructional design and
organization and “directed facilitation” of discourse. When the instructor actively guides and orchestrates the discourse, students report
a higher level of sense of community. These facilitating conditions include drawing attention, accepting climate, diagnosing and keeping
track of students. In order to foster teaching presence, you give clear goals, course topic and instruction. Anderson et al., (2001) used
indicators to assess the extent of teaching presence in a text based environment. Indicators in the design and organization category
contain setting curriculum, designing methods, establishing time parameters, effective use of medium and appropriate etiquette. A teacher
provides materials including clear learning objectives; designs activities, provides guidelines and establishes netiquette. The teacher
also uses the reply and quote function and medium. Shea et al., (2006) also found that in regard to a sense of connectedness and learning,
clear communication of time parameters, due dates and deadlines, clear goals, course topic and introduction also contribute to developing
an online learning community.
How can we foster social presence?
Anderson et al. (2001) defines social presence as the ability of participants in a community of inquiry to project themselves socially and
emotionally through communication. Social presence indicators are emotional expression, open communication, and group cohesion. (Garrison
et al., 2010)In order to foster socio-emotional experience, the capacity to express emotion is important. Gunawardena and Zittle (1997)
state that conference participants enhanced their socio-emotional experience by using emoticons to express missing nonverbal cues in
written form. Humor and self-disclosure show emotional expression. Gorham and Christophel (1990) explain that humor is like an invitation
to start a conversation; it decreases social distance and conveys goodwill. Self–disclosure is another case of emotional expression. Self-
disclosure means sharing feelings, attitudes, experiences and interests. Shamp (1991) said that the exchange of personal information
reduces feelings of social isolation and thus contributes to the formation of individualized impressions of dialogue.
In order to develop social presence, reciprocal and respectful communication is necessary. Examples of open communication are mutual
awareness and recognition of each other’s contributions. Eggins and Slade (1997) suggest that this type of interactive behavior is
realized in Computer-Meditated Communication by using the reply feature to poster messages, by quoting directly from conference
transcripts, by directing a comment to someone in particular, and by referring explicitly to the content of other’s messages. Recognition
is the process that develops exchange relationships. Explicitly expressing appreciation and agreement as well as complimenting and
encouraging others are textual tools of communicating recognition and support.In order to build group cohesion, these activities are
important for building and sustaining a sense of group commitment. Examples of activities are vocatives and addressing the group
as “we,” “our,” or “us.” Using the vocative, that is, addressing participants by name is also an important expression of group cohesion.
Eggins and Slade (1997) note that the use of redundant vocatives would tend to indicate an attempt by the addresser to establish a closer
relationship with the addressee. In addition, the researchers stated that the construction of group cohesion frequently involves using
conversational strategies such humorous banter, teasing and joking.
How can we promote cognitive presence?
Cognitive presence is the extent to which the participants in any particular configuration of a community of inquiry are able to construct
meaning through sustained communication. (Garrison et al., 2001)
The elements of cognitive presence in Computer-Meditated Communication are closely associated with a general model of critical thinking.
The critical thinking model proposed by Garrison (1991) and Newman and his co-authors created indicators for each phase of the model.
Cognitive presence is dependent on communication in text based environments. Most of all, critical thinking or inquiry indicator is a
triggering event or communication. The second indicator is exploration in the search for information, knowledge and alternatives. The
third indicator is integrating the information and knowledge into a coherent idea. The fourth is the resolution of the problem.
In order to facilitate cognitive presence in online learning, Garrison et al. (2005) note that design has a considerable impact on the
nature of the interaction and whether students approach learning in a deep and meaningful manner. Archibald (2010) said that both teaching
and social presences continued to make notable contributions to predicting cognitive presence after controlling for self-directed learning
readiness, prior online learning experience, and prior collaborative learning experience. Shea& Bidjerano (2009) identified that cognitive
presence can be modeled by students instructors’ skills in fostering teaching presence and their own abilities to establish a sense of
social presence. With regard to the influence of instructional methods on online discussion, it includes some special characteristics.
Kanuka et al. (2007) identified Web-quest and debate activities as showing the highest qualities and there are three advantageous
qualities of these two activities. First, they were well structured. Second, they provided clearly defined roles and responsibilities for
the students. Third, they provoked the students to explicitly confront others' opinions
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