Community of Inquiry, Course Satisfaction, and Persistence in Virtual High School Science Classrooms

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 4
  In Poster Session: Emerging Avenues for Research in Online Learning

Abstract

With increasing enrollment in virtual K-12 schools, high attrition rates and the quality of these educational environments have become a concern. This study examines how elements of a Community of Inquiry (CoI) are associated with both course satisfaction and intentions to persist in virtual high school Biology classrooms. Data were collected from 128 students in a virtual high school in the Midwest using a validated CoI survey. Results indicated that all CoI elements including cognitive, social, and teaching presence significantly predicted both course satisfaction and intentions to persist. These findings suggest that the CoI framework may be useful to educators when designing educational environments to maximize satisfaction and persistence in virtual high school settings.

Authors

• Matthew James Schell, Michigan State University

• Jennifer A. Schmidt, Michigan State University