RP5 Teaching in an Online Learning Context

Teaching in an Online Learning Context, by Terry Anderson

This article focuses on the role of the teacher in an online learning context. It first discusses the online learning medium and illustrates how it is a unique teaching and learning environment. Then the article outlines the conceptual online learning model, developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer, called the "Community of Inquiry" model. This model "postulates that deep and meaningful learning results when there are sufficient levels of three component 'presences'." These three presences include the Cognitive Presence, the Social Presence, and the Teaching Presence. The three presences are briefly defined, but the main focus of the article is on the third, the Teaching Presence, and why it is critical in their model for effective online teaching and learning.

Within the component of Teaching Presence, three critical roles performed by the teacher are explained: designing and organizing the learning experience; facilitiating discourse; and adding subject-matter expertise through "a variety of forms of direct instruction." Within the Design & Organize role, it is explained that effective Teaching Presence in the online environment includes flexibility and revision of the content, the support of multiple forms of interaction, and allowance for increased student autonomy and control. There is also an emphasis on "frequent and diverse forms of assessment" and the ability to respond to "unique student needs;" also setting a more personalized tone in the course, and negotiating timelines for student work. The two types of learning models are also explained here: community of learning model, and the independent study model. And a comparison is made between these learning models and how synchronous and asynchronous communication are utilized in each.

The component of Facilitating Discourse is explained here as "the process or power of reasoning, rather than the more social connotation of conversation." Discourse is considered vital in creating a community of inquiry and allows for cognitive dissonance, which is "critical to intellectual growth." Discourse is explained to include regular and varied teacher-student and student-student interaction to create trust within the community, and includes assessment of student participation. It is also noted that assessment must be timely, detailed and explicit. Two assessment frameworks are then shared to illustrate effective assessment that enhances teaching presence.

The third and final component, subject-matter knowledge, is noted by the need for teachers to be able to "set and communicate the intellectual climate of the course, and model the qualities of a scholar, including sensitivity, integrity, and commitment to the unrelenting pursuit of truth." The variety of ways that the teacher can share and communicate their knowledge and course content is explained. Salmon's model for online teaching was explained and it was stressed that this model was not meant to be "prescriptive;' rather, it should be customized based on the individual needs within each online learning community. Necessary qualities of an online learning teacher are also discussed: being an excellent teacher, having sufficient technical skills, and having "resilience, innovativeness, and perseverance."

Reflection

I'll apologize first for not being able to summarize this article in one paragraph. I find it better for my own learning to summarize everything I found important in any lengthy article I read. That being said, I found it useful to read about the basic components of the Teaching Presence aspect of the Community of Inquiry model. I have seen the three critical roles (design & organize, facilitating discourse, and subject-matter expertise) of this model at work in the online courses I've taken so far at U of F. I liked seeing everything broken down into three basic components, with good explanation and examples of each of those components. Seeing everything explained that way brings relevance and meaning to how many of the online courses at U of F are set up. I also appreciated the explanation of discourse, as opposed to conversation. While some of our participation/discussions are simple conversation (mostly at the beginning of courses), I can see that much of it is meant to be meaningful discourse to help us learn from and with each other. Though admittedly, sometimes it just seems like busy work, in actuality it is an important part of our learning process in this online learning environment. Over all, this article gave me a much clearer picture of what effective teaching presence means in online learning environments. I also think this would be handy reference material if I were ever to teach any type of courses online.