Students' Perceptions of Participating in an Online Collaborative Community of Learning: : Teacher Intervention, Task Type, and CMC
Abstract: Using the Community of Inquiry framework, this case study will investigate teacher and cognitive presence in an online preservice teacher education course. Specifically, the study will explore students' experiences in an online collaborative learning environment, including perceived benefits and challenges, how these challenges are attempted to be resolved, and how teacher intervention, task type, and technology play a role in this learning environment. Data will be collected during the whole semester via online surveys, interviews, self-reflections, researcher journal, discussion board and email conversations, and students' grades. Triangulation of data, which is necessary for study credibility is rarely used in CoI literature. In addition, very few studies investigated the CoI over a semester time. Therefore, this study will provide significant contribution to the literature. The results will shed light on online collaborative learning, and provide valuable theoretical and pedagogical implications for the design and facilitation of effective online learning communities.