[William ShebanskyParticipant]

Hi Leslie,
Sorry for the late response. Yes, I agree that teaching presence is meant to include the learners as well. Community includes all members and their interactions but I feel that the teacher’s role is critical. Anderson, Rourke & Archer (2001) explain, “it is only through active intervention of a teacher that a powerful communications tool such as collaborative computer conferencing [11], or cooperative learning [12] becomes a useful instructional and learning resource” (p. 5).

Some examples of learner presence in my previous experiences include peer feedback on projects, such as we are doing with our current article reviews, commenting on classmate blog postings, group projects, presentations, etc. Collaboration and reflection certainly is key to learning, whether with a teacher or with other learners.

William

Anderson, T., Rourke, L., Garrison, D. R., Archer, W. (2001). Assessing Teaching presence in a Computer Conference Environment. Journal of asynchronous learning networks, 5(2), 1-17.

[William ShebanskyParticipant]

Hi Rob and all,

A critical COI is as Garrison and Vaughan (2008) stated, “the hallmark of higher education” (p.1). Collaborative and reflective learning experiences are necessary for higher-order learning whether it be face to face or in a blended learning environment.

Personally, I have not taken a blended learning course, but the online EDER courses, including this one, certainly incorporate elements of social, cognitive, and teaching presence. As we are posting our thoughts on blended learning and the COI framework (critical discourse), we are reflecting and constructing meaning through this sustained communication. By sharing our personal experiences with blended learning on this thread, we are creating a social presence. And through Dr. Vaughan’s “design, facilitation, and direction of cognitive and social processes” (Anderson, Rourke & Archer, 2001, p.5), we do have teaching presence.

Garrison and Vaughan (2008) noted that, “a major challenge facing educators using CMC is the creation of a critical community of inquiry—the hallmark of higher education—within a virtual text-based environment” (p. 1). However, this course is evidence that a critical community of inquiry can exist in a virtual text-based environment, one which incorporates social, cognitive, and teaching presence. For me, such courses are positive, engaging, interactive, and thought-provoking.

William

Anderson, T., Rourke, L., Garrison, D. R., Archer, W. (2001). Assessing Teaching presence in a Computer Conference Environment. Journal of asynchronous learning networks, 5(2), 1-17.

Garrison, D. R., & Vaughan, N. (2008). Chapter One: Introduction. Blended Learning in Higher Education. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass. Available at: http://www2.mtroyal.ab.ca/~nvaughan/chpt1intro.pdf

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