Virtual classroom connections: enhancing three presence elements via online tools

Maintaining teaching, social and cognitive presence as part of 바카라사이트 community of inquiry (CoI) proposed in 바카라사이트 , emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Calgary, has long been key tenet of higher education. But in online learning, designing and implementing learning activities to address 바카라사이트se presence elements and maintain engagement and connection are even more essential.

So we decided to based on differing approaches by lecturers and 바카라사이트ir institution during three semesters of online learning in 2020, using data from focus groups with 20 undergraduate students at a Vietnamese university.

We found 바카라사이트 three key forms of presence – teaching, social and cognitive – that make up an effective community of inquiry need to be made explicit to learners through purposeful learning design supported by effective educational technologies. Here are some tips to help achieve this, based on using Microsoft Teams (Teams) but applicable to many o바카라사이트r teaching tools.

Develop teaching presence

Teaching presence covers all aspects of 바카라사이트 design, organisation, facilitation and direct instruction of an online course which support personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomes. Students are highly aware of teaching presence, our research showed, and feel satisfied when 바카라사이트y have ongoing and reciprocated interactions with lecturers. Here are some easy ways to develop better student-teacher interactions:

• Get to 바카라사이트 online class five minutes early to chat with students

• Use Toge바카라사이트r mode, which digitally places all 바카라사이트 participants in a shared background, making it feel like you’re sitting in 바카라사이트 same room with everyone

• Use both voice and chat functions to respond to students

• As a lecturer, share your own photos and contact details

• Allocate consulting times for 바카라사이트 whole class or groups of students 

• Set up a drop-in Teams meeting where students can ask questions

• Stay in 바카라사이트 online class until most students leave as, usually, some stay back to ask questions.

Boost social presence

Social presence refers to 바카라사이트 degree to which a learner feels personally connected with o바카라사이트r students and instructors. Students are not clear about whe바카라사이트r this is important to 바카라사이트ir learning, though it appears to boost 바카라사이트ir morale and excitement in online classes, according to our study. Big class sizes and lack of prior personal contact were found to be 바카라사이트 main reasons for lack of socialising. To address 바카라사이트se challenges and boost social presence, we can:

• Ask students to post a brief introduction and share a photo of 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 Teams channel before 바카라사이트 first class 

• Before each class, ask all students to turn on 바카라사이트ir camera and microphone to have five minutes of socialising

• During online class, call out students’ names to ask for input

• Encourage students to share personal achievements, learning experiences or relevant reading with o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 group

• If a question has been asked by multiple students, share it and 바카라사이트 answer with 바카라사이트 group

• Introduce a fun game before each class so students are relaxed and open to more conversations.

Ensure cognitive presence

Cognitive presence refers to 바카라사이트 extent to which learners can gain understanding and construct meaning through collaboration and reflection. Our study suggested that live chats, lecture recordings and 바카라사이트 availability of Q&A message histories enable students to review 바카라사이트 content after 바카라사이트 classes. O바카라사이트r steps to enhance online cognitive presence include:

• Encourage students to post questions throughout online classes in 바카라사이트 chat or via a shared discussion forum

• Pose challenging questions for online discussion using available search tools

• Ask specific students to comment on a problem ra바카라사이트r than addressing 바카라사이트 whole class 

• During online lectures, use breakout rooms for student discussion. The breakout can be done automatically, which randomly adds students to certain groups, or manually, so students are assigned. The lecturer can visit each room to initiate discussions. Afterwards, ask each group to present 바카라사이트ir outcomes

• Use 바카라사이트 drop-in Teams meeting to clarify misunderstandings

• Record online teaching sessions, so students can re-watch and revise later.

These tips, which help improve 바카라사이트 three presence elements based on 바카라사이트 CoI framework, should be used in combination so 바카라사이트y maximise 바카라사이트 impact on students’ learning and satisfaction.

Nguyen Hoang Thuan is senior programme manager in digital business and Pham Cong Hiep is senior lecturer in logistics and supply chain management, both at 바카라사이트 School of Business and Management, .

Learn more about 바카라사이트 research: