Web-based Learning Solutions for Communities of Practice

The Role of Learner in an Online Community of Inquiry
acting and interacting. Students grapple with requirements,
looking to their own reasoning, other
students and the instructor for direction about the
right things to do.
Instructors have the opportunity to support
the creation of this new role through the elements
of teaching presence: design, instruction
and facilitation (Anderson, et al., 2001). Adjustments
occur in all three areas of presence, and
each presence is both constrained and enabled
by course design, technology, the instructor,
personal self identity and the interaction within
the community. For instructors “…. there’s a
subtext in this course about paying attention to
how they learn, how they emotionally respond”
to being online.
Attention to these online elements in relation
to the ‘getting up to speed’ or adjustment for
learners, each time they join an online community,
will smooth this move to competence. In order to
become present in the important functionalities
of an online community of inquiry, adjustment
must occur. Without adjustment to competence
as an online learner, the learning process may be
hindered. Support for students to move to a place
of comfort and sense of competence is of value.
Instructor comments provided additional insight
on the comments of online learners describing
adjustment to the online community of inquiry.
The following recommendations for instructional
design and delivery of online courses will ease the
adjustment to the role of online learner participating
in cognitive, social and teaching presence in
an online community of inquiry.
1. Initiate dialogue early in the course to ease
anxieties, assist with group cohesion, model
appropriate online behaviours, and motivate
students to participate.
2. Scale back instructor conference participation
as students become accustomed to their
role s. Summarize discussions at the end of
conferences to acknowledge student efforts
and indicate instructor involvement in the
progression of learning.
3. Identify appropriate posting lengths and
tone at the beginning of a course and model
these appropriate behaviours throughout the
course.
4. Provide supportive comments to acknowledge
student posts and motivate them to
continue participating.
5. Look for cues that students may be hesitant,
intimidated or unsure of how to conduct
themselves and encourage more experienced
students to assist with their less experienced
peers. Anxiety may be manifested in different
ways, such as in a lack of participation,
frustrated outbursts, admissions of confusion
or fear.
6. Try to encourage group bonding and community
development to increase students’
ownership of learning and instil a shared
sense of commitment to the endeavour.
Examples include the use of introductory
ice breakers, group activities, encouraging
peer-peer support and rapport.
7. Encourage the sharing of personal and
professional experiences to broaden learners’
overall understanding of course material
as multiple views provide a broader
perspective.
8. Incorporate an element of flexibility in course
design to accommodate different learning
styles and needs.
9. Set up a chat room or student cafe for students
to socialize outside of regular course
confines.
10. Technological interruptions interrupt
learning. Pilot-test changes to technology
infrastructure to iron out glitches prior to
implementation. Attempt to upgrade software
and equipment in a manner that is the
least disruptive to students, providing failsafe
measures, upgrading software during
down times such as in the middle of the
night.
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