This document explores factors influencing instructor success in online courses using the Community of Inquiry framework, which emphasizes social, cognitive, and teaching presence. The findings reveal that commonly accepted factors such as previous experience and training do not significantly impact instructor effectiveness, while gender and collaborative learning approaches show more relevance. The study suggests that socio-epistemological orientations may affect instructors' capacities to create effective online learning experiences, calling for further research and potential screening for instructor selection.

1. Factors Influencing Instructor Success in Online CoursesPhil Ice, Ed.D.SALT, Washington Interactive Technologies Conference2009

2. What Factors Influence Instructor Success in Online Courses?

3. Using the Community of Inquiry Framework to Measure Successproposed in 2000 by Garrison, Anderson and Archer

4. a process model of learning in online and blended educational environments

5. grounded in a collaborative constructivist view of higher education

6. assumes effective online learning requires the development of a community of learners that supports meaningful inquiry and deep learningsocial presencecognitive presenceLEARNINGteaching presence

7. Social Presencethe ability of participants in a community of inquiry to project themselves socially and emotionally -- as ‘real’ people

8. the degree to which participants in computer mediated communication feel socially and emotionally connected Social Presence - Elementsaffective expression (expressing emotion, self-projection)

9. open communication (learning climate, risk free expression)

10. group cohesion (group identity, collaboration)Cognitive Presencethe extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse in a critical community of inquiry Cognitive Presence - Elementstriggering event (sense of puzzlement)

11. exploration (sharing information & ideas)

12. integration (connecting ideas)

13. resolution (synthesizing & applying new ideas)Teaching Presencethe design, facilitation and direction of cognitive and social processes for the purpose of realizing personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomesTeaching Presence - Elementsdesign and organization (setting curriculum & activities)

14. facilitation (shaping constructive discourse)

15. direct instruction (focusing & resolving issues)Community of Inquiry Survey9 social presence items (3 affective expression, 3 open communication, 3 group cohesion)

16. 12 cognitive presence items (3 triggering, 3 exploration, 3 integration, 3 resolution)

17. 13 teaching presence items (4 design & facilitation, 6 facilitation of discourse, 3 direct instruction)CoI Survey Validationtested in graduate courses at four institutions in the US and Canada

18. principal component factor analysis

19. three factor model predicted by CoI framework confirmed

20. Arbaugh, Cleveland-Innes, Diaz, Garrison, Ice, Richardson, Shea & Swan – 2008

21. now the most frequently cited process model in the literature (over 350 citations – Google Scholar)Commonly Accepted FactorsCourses Previously TaughtInstitutional TrainingTechnical Support Pedagogical Guidance Origin of DegreeDegree Level

22. Study 1West Virginia University

23. Impact of Pedagogical Training and Technical Support (n = 18 instructor and 512 students)

24. Training and Support hours regressed on Teaching Presence Subscales of Facilitation of Discourse and Direct Instruction

25. Number of courses previously taught was treated as a co-variableStudy 1The equation was significant - HOWEVER

26. Pedagogical Guidance accounted for 2.1% of variance

27. Technical Support accounted for 1.9% of variance

28. Previous online teaching experience was not a significant predictor – in fact some of the highest scores came from first time instructorsIce, 2007

29. Study 2American Public University System