The Importance of Social Presence and Strategies for Incorporating It Into an Online Course

2020 ◽  
pp. 107-122
Author(s):  
Joshua Elliott
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Interactions

As with any mode of course delivery, there are both positives and negatives to online learning. There are the commonly cited positive features of online learning like the removal of geographic restrictions and scheduling barriers. Limitations may include unfamiliarity for those new to online learning and misunderstandings resulting from the transition from primarily face-to-face interactions to only online interactions. One of the nice things about online learning environments is that many of the possible drawbacks can be countered turning them into strength. Building a strong social presence in an online course can help with this. This chapter discusses three categories of strategies for building a social presence; ice breakers, netiquette activities, and discussion activities.

scholarly journals A scale development study for assessing the effectiveness of blended learning environments

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 11-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emine Cabı ◽  
Yasemin Gülbahar
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Scale Development ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Development Study ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Development Data

This study is conducted to develop a scale for assessing the effectiveness of blended learning environments based on the features of both face-to-face and online learning environments and provide suggestions for stakeholders. In the process of scale development, data gathered from 314 students were analyzed. The reliability and validity results for collected data were found to be acceptable since they were between or above the expected value. Based on the analysis it is found that the scale is composed of 55 items having a structure of 4 factors. Hence, it can be concluded that "Effectiveness of Blended Learning Environments Scale" is found as reliable and valid, and can measure what it aims to measure. Blended Learning Environment Scale, which was developed and analyzed for reliability and validity throughout this study, is expected to facilitate the further research studies that focused on blended learning environments.

scholarly journals Synkrone online læringsmiljøer – didaktisk design for synkron undervisning understøttet af digitale teknologier

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karsten Gynther ◽  
Ove Christensen ◽  
Rasmus Jørnø
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Synchronous Learning ◽  
Synchronous Learning Environments

Synkrone online læringsmiljøer muliggør realisering af en didaktisk praksis, der synkront kobler forskellige kontekster. Forskning i og udvikling af didaktiske principper, som kan guide uddannelsesudviklere og undervisere i deres arbejde med at udvikle didaktiske designs for synkrone læringsmiljøer, er imidlertid kun i sin spæde vorden. I denne artikel introduceres til et overordnet designframework for synkrone onlinelæringsmiljøer samt en række konkrete didaktiske principper, som eksemplificeres med en række designeksempler. Det overordnede framework rummer tre dimensioner i et didaktisk design for synkrone læringsmiljøer, der i kort form kan præsenteres som: a) simulering af tilstedeværelsesundervisning, b) remediering af tilstedeværelsesundervisning og c) innovativ transformation af tilstedeværelsesundervisning.Abstract in EnglishSynchronous online learning environments allow the realization of a didactic practice that creates contextual couplings. Research and development of didactic principles to guide teachers and developers of education in developing designs for synchronous learning environments is however still in its infancy. This article introduces a series of new conceptual tools and didactical principles for online learning environment and includes a general design framework for synchronous online learning environments and concrete didactic principles exemplified through a set of design examples. The framework outlines three dimensions of a didactic design: a) simulation of face-to-face teaching, b) remediation of face-to-face teaching and c) innovative transformation of face-to-face teaching.

Blended Learning

2017 ◽  
pp. 108-125
Author(s):  
Mark B. Russell ◽  
Irene M. Y. Woon ◽  
Stylianos Hatzipanagos
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Change Management ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Faculty And Administrators

Blended Learning should be a deliberately-designed and pedagogically-informed endeavour. Blended Learning integrates (blends) face-to-face learning environments with online learning environments so that learning can occur anyplace and anytime and can transcend the physical boundaries of traditional face-to-face settings. Moving towards successful blended learning does not happen by chance. It requires educational leadership and a supportive change management strategy. Such a strategy should include a vision for innovation, plans for diffusing the innovations and the provision of advice and guidance to faculty and administrators. The chapter offers examples of what is possible through the genre of ‘Cluster Scenarios' and explores some implications for adopting a blended learning strategy for faculty and administrators.

Private Interactions in Online Discussions

2020 ◽  
pp. 351-379
Author(s):  
Lesley Wilton ◽  
Rubaina Khan ◽  
Clare Brett ◽  
Paul C. Alexander
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Private Communication ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Building Trust ◽  
Discussion Threads ◽  
Education Courses

Private discussion entries (called “notes” in this chapter) provide opportunities for instructors to engage with students for social and cognitive support in discussion-based online learning environments. Situated within discussion threads, embedded private communication allows for personalized engagement with students to support learning through in-place feedback, redirection, and encouragement. Nine themes of the affordances of private notes were identified through the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data gathered from four instructors and the activities of 278 students in 11 online graduate education courses. The benefits of private, in-place interactions identified by the instructors include encouraging authentic participation, building trust and social presence, redirecting conversation, providing advice about learning online, and more. A discussion of the importance of in-place private communications in online learning for providing feedback, reassurance, and guidance is supported by examples and followed by suggestions for future research.

Maximizing Multicultural Online Learning Experiences with the Social Presence Model, Course Examples, and Specific Strategies

2012 ◽  
pp. 395-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee L. Whiteside ◽  
Amy Garrett Dikkers
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Online Interactions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Prior Experiences

This chapter presents Whiteside’s (2007) Social Presence Model, course examples, and specific strategies and explains how such factors help facilitators maximize interactions in multicultural, online learning environments. The model provides a framework rooted in socio-cultural learning, linguistic nuances, learning communities, prior experiences, and instructor investment. The chapter also illustrates how the Social Presence Model, coupled with examples from a Human Rights Education case study and research-based strategies, can make significant differences in online interactions.

A Mixed Methods Examination of Instructor Social Presence in Accelerated Online Courses

2016 ◽  
pp. 147-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Ryan Lowenthal
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Multiple Methods ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Being There

Social Presence theory seeks to explain how people present themselves as being “there” and “real” while using a communication medium. Most studies on social presence focus on how students present themselves and/or are perceived as being “there” and “real” in computer-mediated environments. However, to date, very few studies have focused on how instructors establish and maintain their own social presence in online learning environments. The following study explored the phenomenon of instructor social presence in accelerated online courses. The results suggest that the construct of presence is more complicated than previously thought and that future studies should employ multiple methods to further explore the concept of instructor social presence.

A Mixed Methods Examination of Instructor Social Presence in Accelerated Online Courses

2016 ◽  
pp. 949-963
Author(s):  
Patrick R. Lowenthal
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Multiple Methods ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Being There

Social Presence theory seeks to explain how people present themselves as being “there” and “real” while using a communication medium. Most studies on social presence focus on how students present themselves and/or are perceived as being “there” and “real” in computer-mediated environments. However, to date, very few studies have focused on how instructors establish and maintain their own social presence in online learning environments. The following study explored the phenomenon of instructor social presence in accelerated online courses. The results suggest that the construct of presence is more complicated than previously thought and that future studies should employ multiple methods to further explore the concept of instructor social presence.

The relationship between social presence and cognitive load

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-182
Author(s):  
Jamie Costley
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Cognitive Load ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Germane Cognitive Load ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Spearman’S Correlation

Purpose As online learning has become more prevalent, how learners interact with each other in those learning environments has become more salient. To develop effective levels of interaction, students must feel comfortable to express their ideas and views. For this reason, this paper aims to look at how individual students’ levels of social presence affect germane cognitive load. Germane cognitive load is the amount that students are able to construct schema and can be seen as analogous to learning. Design/methodology/approach This study looks at the results of survey data (n = 433) that investigate the relationship between social presence and germane cognitive load. The students were surveyed from the Open Cyber University of Korea in the fall semester of 2018. Findings The present study found a statistically significant positive relationship between social presence and germane cognitive load. The study found a Spearman’s correlation coefficient of 0.595. Furthermore, the sample was divided into a high, medium and low grouping of social presence. Among these groupings, the high level social presence had the highest level of germane cognitive load, and the low level social presence had the lowest level of germane cognitive load. Originality/value This result shows the importance and value of developing levels of social presence in online environments. Some research has shown relationships between student interaction and learning, but the present study looks directly at social presence and germane cognitive load. From this research, the authors can see the value of encouraging higher levels of social interaction in online learning environments.

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