Student engagement and retention continues to be central as a success measure in higher education. The Community of Inquiry (COI) Framework provides an opportunity to focus on learning as a result of interaction of social, cognitive, and teaching presence. Through purposeful instructional design, the students' educational experience can lead to higher satisfaction and better learning through active engagement and the application of COI.
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Today’s Presenters
Glenna Decker
• Instructional Designer
• Glenna began working in educational
technology in 1997 and as an instructional
designer in 1999, joining GVSU in 2001.
• Over 20 years of graduate teaching
experience in online, hybrid, and traditional
in-seat delivery formats.
• She is a Ph.D. candidate at Western Michigan
University in Higher Education Leadership
with research interests in faculty
development.
Eric Kunnen
• Associate Director of eLearning and
Emerging Technologies
• Eric focuses on collaborating and supporting
distance learning initiatives at the university
while exploring future trends in emerging
technologies in teaching and learning.
• With an MA in Educational Technology, he
also collaborates to research and support
instructional technologies used in the
classroom and in eLearning.
• Blackboard MVP
#HEBITS @ekunnen
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1. Define Community of Inquiry (CoI)
2. Identify the Application of CoI in Student
Engagement
3. Share Tips for Leveraging CoI to Improve Retention
4. Demonstrate the Integration of CoI Principles
5. Highlight Examples of CoI at GVSU
Session Objectives
#HEBITS
4. 44
• Located in West Michigan, Established in 1960
• Nearly 25,000 Students
• 90 Undergraduate and 41 Graduate Programs
• Online/Hybrid Enrollment 5000+ with 17% of Students
Enrolled in at least 1 Distance Education Course
About GVSU
#HEBITS
5. 55
A Focus on Student Engagement and Retention
• Affordability
• Accountability
• Retention Rates
• Graduation Rates
#HEBITS
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Importance of Student Engagement at GVSU
• Rapid Growth in Online/Hybrid Learning
– 15% increase in Enrollment (5,318)
– 17% of Students Enrolled in at least 1 Online/Hybrid Course
– 42% of Summer Enrollment in Online/Hybrid Courses
• Distance Education Student Success Rates (“C” or Better) = Traditional
• OEC Online and Hybrid Peer Review Rubric Alignment
#HEBITS
7. 77
Importance of Retention at GVSU
• Retention Rates at GVSU
– 83% Full Time and 57% Part Time
• GVSU’s 2021 Strategic Plan Retention Focus (Objective 1.A.3, Objective 1.B.2)
#HEBITS
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Supporting Faculty at GVSU
• Teaching and Learning Center, University Libraries, and Provost Office Collaboration
• eLearning Team
– Instructional Design Consultations
– Professional Development
– Digital Media Development
– Technology Support
#HEBITS gvsu.edu/elearn
9. 99
CoI Quick Poll
How familiar are you with the Community of Inquiry Framework?
1. I know nothing to very little
2. I am somewhat familiar
3. I have read about it enough to reference it
4. I can speak about it and integrate it
5. I can (or do) teach it
#HEBITS
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Community of Inquiry Framework
Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2000
Community: meaningful
association, based on common
interest and endeavor. The
essence of community is
communication. (John Dewey)
Inquiry: a seeking or request for
truth, information, or knowledge.
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Community of Inquiry Framework
The ability of
participants to project
themselves socially
and emotionally, as
well as the degree to
which they feel socially
and emotionally
connected to others
The extent to which
learners are able to
construct and
confirm meaning
through sustained
reflection and
discourse in a critical
community of inquiry
The design, facilitation and direction of cognitive and social
processes for the purpose of realizing personally meaningful and
educationally worthwhile learning outcomes
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Community of Inquiry Framework
The ability of
participants to project
themselves socially
and emotionally, as
well as the degree to
which they feel socially
and emotionally
connected to others
The extent to which
learners are able to
construct and
confirm meaning
through sustained
reflection and
discourse in a critical
community of inquiry
The design, facilitation and direction of cognitive and social
processes for the purpose of realizing personally meaningful and
educationally worthwhile learning outcomes
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Indicators
Elements Categories
Indicators
(examples)
Social Presence
Open Communication
Group Cohesion
Affective Expression
Risk-free expression
Encourage collaboration
Authentic emotions
Cognitive Presence
Triggering Event
Exploration
Integration
Resolution
Sense of puzzlement
Information exchange
Connecting ideas
Apply new ideas
Teaching Presence
Design & Organization
Facilitating Discourse
Direct Instruction
Setting curriculum &
methods
Sharing personal meaning
Focusing discussion
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Within Blackboard…
Element Suggestions for Tools
Social Presence
Discussion Board
Blogs
Email
Groups
Avatars
Google integration
Collaborate Ultra
Self/Peer Assessment
Cognitive Presence
Learning Modules
Multimedia Integration
Mashups
Publisher integration
SCORM
Assessments
Journals
Ally
Teaching Presence
Announcements
Instructor Contact
Discussion Board
Grade Center / feedback
Qwickly
Rubrics
Voice
Video
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GVSU Examples
#HEBITS
Element Exemplar
Social Presence
Ice-breakers: Self-introductions
Create one PowerPoint slide with pictures, content, about you
Collected and turned into a class slide-show
Class guidelines collectively determined
Cognitive Presence
Begin Here area
Design Thinking integration
Critical Thinking guides and requirements
Case Studies
Reflections
Teaching Presence
Welcome letter prior to course start
1-minute video welcome announcement (How should you be
addressed)
Video integration for content & for explanations
Personal / Professional Examples
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Foundations of Online/Hybrid Course Development
1. All faculty at GVSU who are new to online teaching, are required to take our
Foundations workshop
2. Offered 2x each semester, one hybrid (2 weeks), one fully online (4 weeks)
3. Facilitated by one or more of the instructional designers
4. Faculty required to begin building online course, completing at least one
learning module
5. First session / week: Our Theoretical Framework
6. Discussion board: Share learning module storyboard, indicate how you are
integrating Social, Teaching, or Cognitive Presence
7. Peer review of modules: Includes identifying the elements of CoI
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THANK YOU!
Improving Student Engagement and Retention Through the Community of Inquiry
Challenges
• Greater focus on retention
• Keeping students engaged
• Building instructor presence
• Growing demand of distance education
Solutions
• Multifaceted and collaborative campus approach
• Integrated elements of the Community of Inquiry
Resources
Tips
Article
Community of Inquiry Tip Sheets
and Good Practice Teaching
Standards
e-learn “Keeping Students
Engaged”
Know your Data
Focus on Faculty
#HEBITS
Editor's Notes
Student engagement and retention continues to be central as a success measure in higher education. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework provides an opportunity to focus on learning as a result of interaction of social, cognitive, and teaching presence. Through purposeful instructional design, the students' educational experience can lead to higher satisfaction and better learning through active engagement and the application of CoI
Online Enrollment Fall 2017-18
C or Better Overall 93.6% Distance and 93.4% Traditional Active Learning/Flipped Instruction
IPED Report https://www.gvsu.edu/ia/annual-ipeds-retention-and-graduation-rates-78.htm
A strategic plan will be developed for student retention, persistence and completion including goals that are ambitious but attainable and appropriate to GVSU’s mission, student populations, and educational offerings.
Retention rates between freshman and sophomore years and sophomore and junior years for first-generation and other traditionally underserved undergraduate students meet or exceed the retention rates of other undergraduate students.
Informed by John Dewey
What do you look for?
CP:“Begin Here” includes copy of welcome letter, course orientation, and detailed instructions for what to do next, (and whatever else is useful!)
Critical Thinking questions on DB
TP: breaking down the syllabus into sections and covering the highlights – especially the assignments.
Links and resources: IDeL TIP Sheets: http://www.gvsu.edu/idel/
Article: https://elearnmagazine.com/students-engaged-role-faculty-student-retention/
