EDGI904: Online Learning and Teaching

Analysis of an Online Interaction
‘What was the extent of social presence and teacher presence for Personalized learning in
discussion platform in Google doc?’
A common technological adaptation to provide personalized learning has become
computer-mediated communication (CMC) (Dron & Anderson, 2014, p. 105). Institutions for
higher education are looking at CMC, particularly discussion through Google doc as a medium
with versatility to provide education programs access anywhere. Google doc is one of the leading
platforms for quality learning process, which is facilitating the process of learning through
Community of Inquiry model. The three elements which interact in the process include, Social
Presence, Teaching Presence and Cognitive Presence.
Cognitive Presence
Learning theories suggests that Cognitive Presence is essential for successful learning in
higher education (Dabbagh & Kitsantas, 2012, p.21). Cortical thinking in this regards denote that
learning experience need to encompass integration, exploration and application of theories.
Through community of inquiry, individuals will be able to derive a meaning.
Social Presence
The implication of social presence allows demonstration of individual attributes, of
members within the Community of Inquiry in the community (Thomas, 2011, p.86). Through
social presence, it becomes possible to enhance student motivation and engagement by
supporting of cognitive presence.
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Teaching Presence
It is an essential component of the learning processes, to have teaching presence. With
teaching presence, there is support in cognitive as well as social presence factor to catering to
educational outcomes (LeNoue, Hall & Eighmy, 2011, p. 96). There needs to be involvement
from the teacher as well as the student. Teaching presence generally involves three primary
categories, which includes direct instruction, facilitating discourse and organisation and design.
1) Task Overview – Principles of OPL
The Task 2 activity of our group discussed ‘The Principles of OPL’. The principles
discussed in the module discussion attend to meet the needs of students as well as teachers. In
this learning activity, students were given an opportunity for flexible learning and learn in a
differentiated manner through discussions online.
The activity included responding to the Module questions that was asked and getting
feedback regarding the same. It included reflecting on the benefits of OPL and applying the same
to the context of the student’s themselves. The student’s had to respond to the Module questions
on the basis of their own learning and understanding of OPL. The teacher responded to each
post, by thanking the student for responding to the post, and adding to any possible aspects that
the student might have left aside. The topic was developed through discussion where various
students posted regarding their own learning and feedback; this was done as if a replication of
the classroom environment had been created.
2) Analysis and Coding of the Online Activity
Purpose
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I made use of the ‘Online Personalized Learning’ Google page in order to analyze the
text-based interactions with the application of the Community of Inquiry model. I went on to
select pages such as;
students who possessed knowledge of completing previous tasks
basis of variety and depth of responses that was written
the number of students who had responded
The aim of this analysis was to address the question “What was the extent of social
presence and teacher presence for Personalized learning in discussion platform in Google
doc?”
Methodology
The aim of this study concerned determining the effectiveness of social presence and
teacher presence for Personalized learning through Google doc. With the aid of the Community
of Inquiry model, it was possible to undertake analysis on the basis of a template with varied
indicators. The indicators provide consistent coding with objective of the transcript messages
that can be found associated with social presence, teaching experience and cognitive presence.
While conducting analysis that would be relevant to the specific task, I had undertaken a range of
specific indicators prior to reviewing of teacher’s and student comment in regards to specific
category. The elements as detailed in Table 1 was constructed in post reviewing of comments
that had been made by teacher and student on the Google doc. The activity involved responding
to a replying to the teacher’s module questions and then having feedback with discussion in the
forum. Grant Bailey, Shirley Agostinho and Nafal Alqahtani is the teacher in the discussion
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