scholarly journals The switch to remote instruction in Spanish heritage language courses: Why social presence matters

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-214
Author(s):  
Angélica Amezcua ◽  
Anel Brandl ◽  
Evelyn Durán Urrea ◽  
Estrella Rodriguez

EN The pandemic amplified the educational disparities that Latinx students face in virtual courses. This research project describes Spanish Heritage Language (SHL) learners’ experiences with remote instruction, and it proposes using the Community of Inquiry Model (Garrison et al., 2000) and modified versions of the Theory of Social Presence (Fayram, 2017; Hauck & Warnecke, 2012; Strong et al., 2012; Whiteside, 2015) as guiding frameworks to obtain information about social presence (SP) aspects in the online classroom. A total of 126 SHL learners took a validated online survey to evaluate the challenges of switching to a remote modality of instruction. This research emphasizes the need to design effective online courses that foster SP as a key element to diminish feelings of isolation and encourage active participation in the classroom. We propose that teaching presence is an important component of social presence in online SHL courses, and we offer pedagogical implications for practitioners. Parole chiave: LATINX STUDENTS, SPANISH HERITAGE LANGUAGE COURSES, ONLINE CLASSES, SOCIAL PRESENCE ES La pandemia amplificó la disparidad educativa que el alumnado latino sufre en los cursos virtuales. Este proyecto describe las experiencias del alumnado latino en las clases virtuales de español como lengua de herencia (SHL) y propone el uso del modelo de la Community of Inquiry (Garrison et al., 2000) y la teoría de la Presencia Social (junto con sus modificaciones: Hauck & Warnecke, 2012; Fayram, 2017; Strong et al., 2012; Whiteside, 2015) como guía para entender la presencia social (PS) y sus factores en las clases virtuales. Un total de 126 participantes respondieron a un cuestionario en línea validado para evaluar los retos que supuso el cambio a una enseñanza a distancia. Los resultados indican la importancia de diseñar cursos virtuales efectivos que promuevan la presencia social como el elemento clave para disminuir el aislamiento y promover la participación activa en las clases. En este estudio proponemos que la presencia docente es un componente importante de la presencia social en la enseñanza virtual del español como lengua de herencia y ofrecemos implicaciones pedagógicas para el profesorado. Palabras claves: ALUMNADO LATINO, CURSOS DE ESPAÑOL COMO LENGUA DE HERENCIA, CURSOS EN LÍNEA, PRESENCIA SOCIAL IT La pandemia ha aumentato le disparità educative che studenti/esse latini/e affrontano nei corsi a distanza. Questo studio descrive le esperienze di apprendenti di Spagnolo come Lingua Ereditaria nella didattica a distanza (DaD), e propone l’uso del modello della Community of Inquiry (Garrison et al., 2000) e della Teoria della Presenza Sociale (con le sue variazioni: Hauck & Warnecke, 2012; Fayram, 2016; Strong et al., 2012; Whiteside, 2015) come modelli per ottenere informazioni su aspetti della presenza sociale (SP) durante le lezioni online. 126 studenti hanno risposto a un questionario validato online per valutare le sfide poste dal passaggio alla DaD. I risultati evidenziano la necessità di corsi online efficaci che promuovano la SP come fattore chiave per diminuire il senso di isolamento e incoraggiare una partecipazione attiva alla lezione. Viene suggerita la presenza dell’insegnante come componente importante della SP nei corsi online di SHL e vengono trattate le implicazioni pedagogiche per i docenti stessi. Parole chiave: STUDENTI LATINI, CORSI DI SPAGNOLO COME LINGUA EREDITARIA, LEZIONI ON-LINE, PRESENZA SOCIALE.

Author(s):  
Beth Rubin ◽  
Ronald Fernandes

<p>This article examines the effects of teaching behaviors in online university classes, focusing on the agreement among class members. Literature on group leaders’ effects on group agreement about workplace climate is reviewed. Hypotheses are generated about the effects that teachers of online courses, as class leaders, have on both the level and agreement about the community of inquiry. They are tested with a sample of 874 students in 126 online courses. The aggregate class level and strength of agreement about the teaching presence have significant effects on the level and agreement about cognitive presence and social presence. Although the aggregate levels and agreement about community of inquiry are related, different patterns emerge.</p><p>The paper explores the interaction effects of level and agreement, finding that in classes with high levels of teaching presence, the higher the agreement about teaching presence, the higher the agreement about cognitive and social presence especially for classes reporting stronger levels of cognitive and social presence. In classes with lower levels of teaching presence, agreement has a different effect.</p>


Author(s):  
Pasi Puranen ◽  
Ruby Vurdien

This paper examines and reports on ways of promoting teaching presence in foreign language online learning environments in Finland and Spain. ‘Teaching presence’ refers to all the tools and resources teachers use during online courses to deliver teaching, guidance and feedback, or situations in which they are present for their students. A qualitative approach was adopted, and data were collated from questionnaires completed by 34 teachers and 16 students involved in different online language courses at different educational levels. The aim was to examine (1) the extent to which students’ views on feedback and teaching presence in online courses differ from those of teachers, and (2) the impact teaching presence has on student engagement and behaviour in online courses. Based on the polling data, both teachers and students find student engagement to be significant in fostering learning in an online environment. Students tend to be generally satisfied with teacher feedback.


Author(s):  
Barbara Brown ◽  
Sarah Elaine Eaton

Instructors use synchronous sessions in higher education online courses to connect with students in real-time discussions. In this qualitative study, researchers examined 12 recordings of synchronous activity in four educational research graduate courses. Students completed a survey with open-ended questions after each synchronous session, and students and instructors were interviewed at the end of the term so that researchers could learn more about how synchronous online discussion cultivated a scholarly community of inquiry. Findings suggest that engagement strategies, such as student-facilitated presentations and case study discussions, fostered social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence. Findings also suggest that engagement strategies were valuable for promoting interactivity during synchronous sessions. Although synchronous discussions were used as a pedagogical approach and companion to asynchronous course work to support students' learning, unreliable technology presented challenges, possibly limiting the quality of discussions in online environments.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Saadatmand ◽  
Lars Uhlin ◽  
Maria Hedberg ◽  
Lotta Åbjörnsson ◽  
Maria Kvarnström

Abstract Open online courses are becoming more prevalent at local level and for and professional development objectives. Proper instructional design combined with use of online tools can promote learner interaction in online environments. Using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, this study aimed at examining learners’ interaction and their perceptions of teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence in an open online course offered for professional development in three Swedish universities. The course was free and open to all, attracting participants from all over the world. In order to understand the online interactions of the course, three presences of CoI were matched to three types of interaction (Moore, 1989). Data were collected through a slightly revised version of the CoI instrument and open-ended questions were added. Survey results showed that participants had high perceptions of the three presences in the course. Results also yielded significant relationships between teaching presence and cognitive presence, as well as social presence and cognitive presence. The findings suggest that deploying a set of online tools combined with appropriate pedagogical approaches in designing open online courses could foster learner interaction especially learner-content interaction and cognitive presence.


Author(s):  
Holly Fiock

This article describes a practical approach for implementing instructional strategies in order to build a Community of Inquiry (CoI) into an online course. Online community building has positive effects on the quality of student learning, increases student engagement, and encourages motivation of students in online courses. The CoI is a theoretical framework focusing on facilitating meaningful learning experiences through three presences: cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence. This article will introduce the CoI framework by way of literature review focusing on CoI instructional strategies. Using Sorensen and Baylen’s (2009) seven principles of good practice, the author will structure CoI instructional activities into presence categories for practitioner use.


Author(s):  
Swapna Kumar ◽  
Kara Dawson ◽  
Erik W Black ◽  
Catherine Cavanaugh ◽  
Christopher D Sessums

The community of inquiry (CoI) framework has commonly been used to study teaching and learning in online courses (Garrison, Anderson, &amp; Archer 2000). This paper describes the implementation of the CoI framework in a cohort-based online EdD program, where teaching presence and cognitive presence were easier to foster than social presence. Based on the results of an initial evaluation, suggestions are made to expand the components of the CoI framework when using it at a program level. Lessons learned from the implementation are also shared to assist others wishing to apply the CoI framework to online graduate programs. <br /><br />


Author(s):  
Moon-Heum Cho ◽  
Scott Tobias

<p class="Style2">Online discussion is a commonly used means to promote student understanding of a topic and to facilitate social interaction among students or between students and instructor; however, its effects on student learning in online learning environments have rarely been investigated.  The purpose of this study was to examine the role of online discussion in student learning experiences measured with community of inquiry, learner time, satisfaction, and achievement.  One instructor taught the same online course for three consecutive semesters using three different conditions.  During one semester enrolled students engaged in no discussion, during another semester they engaged in discussion without instructor participation, and in the remaining semester they engaged in discussion with active instructor participation.  No significant differences were found among conditions in cognitive presence and the instructor’s teaching presence, whereas significant difference was found in social presence among conditions.  No significant differences among conditions were found time spent on Blackboard, course satisfaction, and student achievement.  Implications for online teaching and learning as well as for designing an online course conclude the paper.</p>


2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zehra Akyol ◽  
D. Randy Garrison

The purpose of this study was to explore the dynamics of an online educational experience through the lens of the Community of Inquiry framework. Transcript analysis of online discussion postings and the Community of Inquiry survey were applied in order to understand the progression and integration of each of the Community of Inquiry presences. The results indicated significant change in teaching and social presence categories over time. Moreover, survey results yielded significant relationships among teaching presence, cognitive presence and social presence, and students’ perceived learning and satisfaction in the course.


Author(s):  
David S. Goldstein ◽  
Carol Leppa ◽  
Andreas Brockhaus ◽  
Rebecca Bliquez ◽  
Ian Porter

To help faculty develop well-designed blended courses, the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2000) was used to design and deliver a ten-week Hybrid Course Development Institute (HCDI) for faculty members from a variety of disciplines. The faculty experienced a blended format and developed courses based on the three components of the CoI framework: cognitive presence, teaching presence, and social presence, the last of which is particularly challenging to achieve. This chapter provides an overview of the HCDI structure, content, and assessment, and suggests ways to foster social presence in and beyond a blended learning institute for faculty members.


Author(s):  
Zehra Akyol ◽  
D. Randy Garrison

The purpose of this chapter is to explain the capability of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework as a research model to study student learning and satisfaction. The framework identifies three elements (social, cognitive, and teaching presence) that contribute directly to the success of an e-learning experience through the development of an effective CoI. It is argued that a CoI leads to higher learning and increased satisfaction. The chapter presents findings from two online courses designed using the CoI approach. Overall, the students in these courses had high levels of perceived learning and satisfaction, as well as actual learning outcomes.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document