Validating the Factor Structure of the Three Presences of Community of Inquiry

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 51
  In Roundtable Session: Using Models, Exploring Factors, Gathering Lessons Learned, and Analyzing Patterns to Inform Online Teaching and Learning

Abstract

This confirmatory factor analysis study examined the construct validity of the three presences of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000). The participants of this study were graduate students enrolled in fully online courses at a large R-1 university. The results revealed that the data fit very well with the (a) 13 item-three factor teaching presence model, (b) nine item-three factor social presence model, and (c) twelve item-four factor cognitive presence model. The results of this study empirically supported that each presence demonstrates a clear factor solution corresponding to each construct proposed by the CoI framework. Theoretical and practical implications of the study results are discussed.

Authors

• Secil Caskurlu, Florida State University

• Jennifer C. Richardson, Purdue University