Advancing the Community of Inquiry Framework

• In Event: Building Communities in Online Learning

Abstract

The purpose of this presentation is to revisit the CoI framework, including its conceptual foundation in the work of C.S. Peirce (1955) and Matthew Lipman (1991). We explore the COI framework’s theoretical strengths and weaknesses. Strengths include the CoI focus on recreating the epistemic processes of professional communities of discourse. Weaknesses include a dearth of research on learner outcomes, conceptual isolation, an under-articulation of the unique role of learners in online collaborative environments, and a lack of focus on disciplinary differences as they relate to knowledge and learning. We conclude with a call for collaboration with learning science researchers to address these opportunities for improvement.

Authors

• Peter Shea, University at Albany - SUNY

• Jennifer C. Richardson, Purdue University