In this episode, Rob and Jared continue discussing the Community of Inquiry framework, looking at the three types of presence in greater detail. Contact us at ctlpodcast@cedarville.edu with any questions. You can also visit our blog at cedarville.edu/focusblog for additional resources. We would love to get your feedback! Please fill out our survey to help improve our podcast and serve you better.

The three presences in the Community of Inquiry (COI) framework work together to influence learner engagement, active participation, and the sense of being in a learning community. Social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence also jointly enhance an instructor’s ability to stimulate class discussions and provide timely feedback. Each presence focuses on a different aspect of a course.

Building social presence promotes mutual understanding among participants and facilitates knowledge exchange, often improving student motivation. It can be fostered through strategies such as icebreakers, photo sharing, and general discussions, creating a balance between a comfortable environment and maintaining professional boundaries.

Cognitive presence is about engaging students with course content in ways that cultivate critical thinking skills. Activities that elicit analysis, synthesis, and evaluation – such as open-ended discussions, case studies, and journaling — help enhance this presence.

Teaching presence is crucial, impacting the other two presences. It involves facilitating learning, providing timely feedback, and setting up avenues for constructive discussion. The teacher's role in an online course extends beyond delivering content; they are essential in nurturing a conducive environment for learning and engagement. Consequently, the interactions of these three presences help in creating a robust online learning community.

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