Developing a community of inquiry instrument: Testing a measure of the Community of Inquiry framework using a multi-institutional sample

This article reports on the multi-institutional development and validation of an instrument that attempts to operationalize Garrison, Anderson and Archer's Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (2000). The results of the study suggest that the instrument is a valid, reliable, and efficient measure of the dimensions of social presence and cognitive presence, thereby providing additional support for the validity of the CoI as a framework for constructing effective online learning environments. While factor analysis supported the idea of teaching presence as a construct, it also suggested that the construct consisted of two factors—one related to course design and organization and the other related to instructor behavior during the course. The article concludes with a discussion of potential implications of further refinement of the CoI measures for researchers, designers, administrators, and instructors.     

Social Presence and Implications for Designing Online Learning Communities

With the rapid global proliferation of the Internet and telecommunication networks , online education , one form of distance education is currently becoming the fastest growing trend of domestic and international education. A major challenge to designing online learning is the development of appropriate means to facilitate the social environment that is critical for higher order learning in many disciplines. In many online learning designs, the majority of resources are channeled to web interface design and technology, while little or no resources are devoted to facilitating the teaching and learning process, the negotiation of meaning and the validation of knowledge among peers and instructors that depends on a conducive socio-cultural environment and adequate learner support.     

基于在线论坛师生有效互动的研究

在线论坛对整个远程开放学习环境价值的提升具有很大的潜力。研究、分析放大学四个院系所开设20多门课程的100多个在线论坛,目的是阐述在线论坛与其他教学方法相结合时所起的积极作用。使用探究社群模型来评估论坛内容的有效性,对社交场感、认知存在和教学存在进行检查。研究表明,在线论坛对马来西亚开放大学混合学习环境下的学习作出了重大贡献。     

Establishing a Community of Inquiry through Hybrid Courses in Clinical Social Work Education

Utilizing the conceptual framework of Garrison, Anderson, and Archer for critical inquiry, this paper outlines the importance of the community of inquiry (COI) model and how it may inform online social work education. Integrating the COI model, we discuss how online learning in the classroom with a hybrid approach has been used to facilitate critical reflection and discourse. To illustrate this approach, we provide two case examples from clinical courses taught in an MSW program.     

Quality Control in Online Courses

SUMMARY

There has recently been increased interest in the quality of online courses. Faculty from the School of Education at Marquette University suggest using social constructivist theories in the design and development of online courses and in the training and pedagogy of online instructors to ensure quality in online courses. Quality can be designed into online courses by focusing on complex tasks, using multiple perspectives, establishing a learning community, encouraging the social negotiation of meaning and providing assistance for learners at various levels. While good design can go a long way to ensure quality in online courses, the quality of the instructor is equally critical. Training instructors to establish a supportive climate, provide constructive feedback, and ask critical and probing questions leads to high quality online instruction.     

From the Field: Characteristics of Successful Tertiary Online Students and Strategies of Experienced Online Educators

Online learning, now a popular method of education at the tertiary level, creates new challenges for students and educators. Faculty members may know little about how to assist students in succeeding in this new learning environment, and students may be ill prepared to tackle the new demands put upon them. This research sought to identify dimensions of successful online learners by examining primary screening documents and mapping them to the literature base, and then invited experienced online educators to review the dimensions and provide strategies they use to ensure student success. Seven dimensions were identified and confirmed as significant, each dimension with slightly different importance, including access to tools; technology experience; learning preferences; study habits and skills; goals or purposes; lifestyle factors; and personal traits and characteristics. The experienced educators provided several online teaching strategies including students' posting biographies; frequent interaction; collaboration; required participation; question-asking forums; topical flexibility; and minimizing technology requirements.     

School Teachers' Continuous Professional Development in an Online Learning Community: lessons from a case study of an eTwinning Learning Event

A social revolution is occurring in the way information is shared, knowledge is generated and innovation takes place over the Internet and there is renewed interest in the social concept of ‘community’ to support online learning. This article describes action research conducted in the context of an eTwinning Learning Event (LE) that provides useful insights into how an online learning community can support the continuous professional development (CPD) of school teachers. Using the Community of Inquiry framework (Garrison et al., 2000), it offers empirical evidence of how cognitive, social and teaching aspects impact competence development. It suggests that online learning communities offer an appropriate environment for teachers' intellectual and emotional reflection, characterised by trust, mutual respect and shared values centred on improving pupils' learning. It also suggests that the educational experience within such a community is significantly influenced by the tutor's design and moderation of activities aimed at fostering critical thinking. The article concludes that online learning communities offer a valuable alternative to traditional teacher training by supporting teachers to learn in the context of their everyday practice, whilst collaborating and reflecting on their experience with peers across regions and countries. Concerning the wider use of social networking for learning, it suggests that educators still have a valuable role to play in ensuring that collaboration leads to an effective educational experience.     

浅谈网络教育的优势和未来

网络教育是现代远程教育的新形式，它有着多方面的优越性，有着极其广阔的发展前景。     

基于第三方平台进行网上实时教学活动的探索与实践--以QQ群教育模式应用为例

为了提高网上教学质量,探索了利用第三方平台开展网上实时教学活动的成效。基于新版QQ群的教育模式的运用,通过QQ群展示面授课堂教学视频、音频和 PPT 等,同时与学生进行实时互动交流,提升了网上实时教学活动的效果。     

在线学习中的多媒体、社会存在和社区(英文)

在在线学习环境中,社区感、社会存在感是影响学生成功和满意度的重要因素。在线学习领域的研究者和实践者越来越关注多媒体工具、富媒体教学方法对在线课堂中社区感、社会存在感的积极影响的有效性。此外,随着在线学习环境越来越多媒体化,计算机媒介学习环境的内在社会障碍可能会越来越少。因此,本文首先调研了相关的理论框架和概念,包括社会存在理论、计算机媒介交流环境中的社区;然后探讨了特定的多媒体方法对于社区建构、社会存在的有效性。     

Community,Towards Dialogue: A Self-Study of Online Teacher Preparation for Special Education

ABSTRACT

Online teacher education is experiencing significant growth worldwide. One of the major challenges accompanying this growth is that many teacher educators find themselves underprepared and under pressure to design online teacher education courses that reflect their beliefs about what constitutes high-quality teacher preparation practice. Further, teacher educators in disciplines such as special education face additional challenges in developing understandings about the legalities of writing and implementing disability service plans and performing additional testing. In this self-study of online special education teacher education practice, two collaborators worked to identify strategies and practices for professional community building in a class about teaching reading to students with disabilities. The findings highlight issues of teacher educator authority and presence online against other needs to model collegiality and promote scholarly thinking. Researchers in online teaching may find insight into both the cognitive and contextual concerns as they work to enhance online teacher education while they plan their own investigations.     

基于网络课程的模拟电子技术自主学习教改试验研究

本文介绍了高职《模拟电子技术》网络课程的设计与功能,通过行动研究法开展基于网络课程的自主学习的教学实践,给出了具体操作流程和教学策略,并采用问卷调查的方法对课程教学效果进行分析和评价。     

影响网络教学质量的因素分析

网络教学是基于Internet的一种全新的教学方式。通过对影响网络教学质量因素的分析，提出了改进网络教学的方法。     

基于网络课程结构的教学探究

在对网络课程实际调查的基础上，归纳了网络课程的基本功能结构。通过对课程内容、师生关系、资源以及教学活动组织等方面的分析，列举了目前网络课程的六种模式，最后对网络课程的发展趋势作了展望。     

在远程教育教学模式下提高学生在线学习能力

合理创建和运用远程教育教学模式是提高学生在线学习能力的基础。从远程教育及学生在线学习的现状入手,探讨了远程教育教学模式的特点、创建和运用原则,并在教学中进行有效的实践探索。     

社区教育在线学习资源建设的有效途径

为全社会构建出"人人皆学、时时能学、处处可学"的在线学习资源和在线学习环境是开放大学义不容辞的重要任务之一。以人为本、合理定位、多元化的组织和呈现是社区教育在线学习资源建设的目标。由"数学文化网络课程"和"跟我学做时装"资源建设的两个案例以及电大资源建设的实践说明,采用与电大共建共享资源、二次开发和创建具有区域特色的新资源,不仅是社区教育在线学习资源建设的有效途径,同时还凸显开放大学以及各级电大在发展继续教育、完善终身教育体系方面所起到的作用。     

网上课程设计的理论基础的模式建构

有效的网上课程设计是网上教学成功的关键因素之一.本文旨在分析和探讨网上课程设计的理论基础.文章分为三部分,第一部分介绍目前网上课程设计使用的理论基础的片面性,说明建立整合式网上课程设计的需要.第二部分阐述了整合式网上课程设计的埋论基础,包括一般的教学理论和学习理论、成人教学理论和成人学习理论、远程教学理论以及技术使用原理,并分析了这些理论存网上课程设计中的应用.第三部分提出了整合式网上课设计理论基础的假设模式,并强调存各种理论和原理的使用中,不只是考虑引进的西方的理论和原理,同时要发扬光人中国传统和中国现代教学理论和原理,使我国的网上课程设计能适合我国的成人学习者.     

《学校问题研讨》课程的教学策略初探

《学校问题研讨》是宁波大学新开设的一门教师教育类课程。学校问题的提出可以来自于师范生在教育实习过程中的观察和思考、教育研究的热点和教师的科研;在问题的解决中需要采用多种研讨方式以保证良好的研讨效果;在对问题研讨的评价上应采用操作性较强、较具体的标准以确保评价的客观性。在对该课程的教学策略进行分析的基础上,指出了该课程有效教学在教师培养中的作用,以期对教师教育课程改革有所启示。