Vol. 27 No. 1 (2013)
Research Articles

Cognitive Presence in A Virtual Learning Community: An EFL Case

HTML ePub PDF
  • Sayyed Mohammad Alavi,
  • Mahboubeh Taghizadeh
Sayyed Mohammad Alavi
University of Tehran
Mahboubeh Taghizadeh
University of Tehran

Published 2013-07-12

Keywords

  • community of inquiry,
  • cognitive presence,
  • social presence,
  • teaching presence

How to Cite

Alavi, S. M., & Taghizadeh, M. (2013). Cognitive Presence in A Virtual Learning Community: An EFL Case. International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education Revue Internationale Du E-Learning Et La Formation à Distance, 27(1). Retrieved from https://ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/818
Copyright Notice

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the existence of cognitive presence as one of the elements of Community of Inquiry framework in virtual centers of undergraduate students of science and technology. To achieve the purpose of this study, first a questionnaire was uniquely developed on the basis of the suggestions made in the literature reviewing the indicators of cognitive element of CoI framework. The questionnaire was then administered to undergraduate students (N=107) who were studying a technical or a technological course in the Iran University of Science and Technology and Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology. The analysis of the questionnaire data showed that (a) considering the categories, Exploration and Resolution categories appeared more frequently than others in virtual centers of the present study. (b) The indicators of Divergence, Information exchange, and Applying new ideas were hierarchically frequent. In order to promote and sustain cognitive presence, this study suggests virtual language educators to incorporate the indicators of cognitive presence into their classroom context.
HTML ePub PDF

References

  1. Anderson, T., Rourke, L., Garrison, D. R., & Archer, W. (2001). Assessing teaching presence in a computer conferencing context. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5(2). Retrieved May,11. 2010, from. http://communitiesofinquiry.com/files/Teaching Presence.pdf.
  2. Arbaugh, J. B. (2007). An empirical verification of the community of inquiry framework. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 11(1), 73-85.
  3. Arbaugh, J. B., Cleveland-Innes, M., Diaz, S., Garrison, D. R., Ice, P., Richardson, J., Shea, P., & Swan, K. (2008). Developing a community of inquiry instrument: Testing a measure of the community of inquiry framework using a multi-institutional sample. Internet and Higher Education, 11, 133-136.
  4. Bangert, A.W. (2009).Building a validity argument for the community of inquiry survey instrument. The Internet and Higher Education, 12(2), 104-111.
  5. Schrire, S. (2006). Knowledge building in asynchronous discussion groups: Going beyond quantitative analysis. Computers & Education, 46, 49 -70.
  6. Garrison, D. R., & Anderson, T. (2000). Transforming and enhancing university teaching: Stronger and weaker technological influences. London: Kogan Page.
  7. Garrison, D. R., & Archer, W. (2000). A transactional perspective on teaching and learning: A framework for adult and higher education. Oxford, UK: Pergamon.
  8. Garrison, D. R., & Anderson, T. (2003). E-Learning in the 21st century. London: Routledge Falmer.
  9. Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. Internet and Higher Education, 2, 87-105.
  10. Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2001). Critical thinking, cognitive presence, and computer conferencing in distance education. American Journal of Distance Education, 15(1), 7-23.
  11. Garrison, D. R., & Arbaugh, J. B. (2007). Researching the community of inquiry framework: Review, issues, and future directions. Internet and Higher Education, 10(3), 157 -172.
  12. Gunawardena, C. N. (1995). Social presence theory and implications for interaction and collaborative learning in computer conferencing. In: paper presented at the Fourth International Conference on Computer-Assisted Instruction, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
  13. Kanuka, H., & Anderson, T. (1998). Online social interchange, discord and knowledge construction. Journal of Distance Education, 13(1), 57–75.
  14. Pisutova-Gerber, K., & Malovicova, J. (2009). Critical and higher order thinking in online threaded discussions in the Slovak context. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(1), 1-15.
  15. Richardson. J. C., & Ice. P. (2010). Investigating students' level of critical thinking across instructional strategies in online discussions. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(1–2), 52-59.
  16. Rourke, L., Anderson, T., Garrison, D. R., & Archer, W. (2001). Assessing social presence in asynchronous text-based computer conferencing. Journal of Distance Education, 14(2), 50-71.
  17. Tu, C. (2000). On-line learning migration: From social learning theory to social presence theory in a CMC environment. Journal of Network and Computer Application, 23, 27–37.
  18. Vaezi, Sh., & Taghizadeh, M. (2009). Virtual instructors’ perspective toward community of inquiry framework: The case of EFL. ILI Language Teaching Journal, 5(1-2), 91-104.
  19. Walther, J. (1994). Interpersonal effects in computer mediated interaction. Communication Research, 21(4), 460–487.