Online Learners' Cognitive Presence and Peer Facilitators' Contribution: When Facilitation Scripts Are Used

• In Event: 68.051 - Revisiting the Community of Inquiry (CoI)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ cognitive presence in their online inquiry discourse when facilitation scripts were provided to peer facilitators. 731 discussion messages were analyzed. Analytic methods included both qualitative and quantitative content analysis. The study revealed the dynamics of cognitive presence by looking at the relationship between each phase of cognitive presence and idea collaboration, idea complexity, and ways of working with information. Results suggested that the facilitation scripts could improve peer facilitators’ strategy use, and the five types of facilitating strategies-ask question, make clarification, promote connection, synthesis &summary, and provide information-are effective in creating and developing cognitive presence.

Authors

• Ye Chen, Syracuse University

• Jacob Andrew Hall, Syracuse University