Does community of inquiry really matter in understanding online learning? A confirmed perspective using mixed method

IF 6.7 1区教育学 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

British Journal of Educational Technology Pub Date : 2024-09-30 DOI:10.1111/bjet.13516

Yujie Zhou, Huiping Wu, Ge Cao

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A high dropout rate is especially considered as a severe issue for online course development.</li>\n \n <li>The issue of learners' continuance intention was often explored from a technological perspective and at the platform level by using Information system (IS) theories.</li>\n \n <li>The community of inquiry (CoI) framework was extensively utilized as a theoretical basis for understanding online learning experiences and its three elements—teaching, cognitive and social presences—have long been deemed as major antecedents that influence learners' online learning behaviours and intentions.</li>\n </ul>\n \n <p>What this paper adds\n\n </p><ul>\n \n <li>This paper integrated the community of inquiry (CoI) framework with Expectation confirmation theory and proposed three new variables: confirmed teaching presence (CTP), confirmed cognitive presence (CCP) and confirmed social presence (CSP).</li>\n \n <li>The study reveals the internal mechanisms by which the three confirmed expectations impact online learners' courses continuance intention. 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引用次数: 0

Abstract

High dropout rates in online courses, caused by potential factors such as financial issues, low motivation and poor self-regulation among learners, pose a significant challenge to the sustainable development of online education. Therefore, continuance of online courses has become a critical topic in both the academic and practical fields. By combining the Community of Inquiry framework (CoI) with Expectation-Confirmation Theory, this study introduces three new constructs—confirmed teaching presence (CTP), confirmed cognitive presence (CCP) and confirmed social presence (CSP)—into the research model to understand how confirmed expectations towards CoI determine online learners' course continuance intention. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study conducted quantitative analysis on 409 learner surveys using partial least squares (PLS), followed by semi-structured interviews, which revealed the depth and breadth of the confirmed CoI expectations on learners' willingness to continue learning. Specifically, the quantitative results uncovered the differential effects of CTP, CCP and CSP on learners' course continuance intentions by elucidating the internal mechanisms. The interviews provided deeper insights by illuminating online learners' initial expectations as well as their pre-course and post-course expectations. The findings of the study not only provide evidence of the crucial role of confirmed expectations in shaping online learners' course continuance intention but also offer actionable recommendations for improving online course design and fostering lifelong learning.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

Online courses have expanded in scale and attracted a large number of learners in recent years, the large base of online learners has brought tremendous and unprecedented challenges to online course development. A high dropout rate is especially considered as a severe issue for online course development.
The issue of learners' continuance intention was often explored from a technological perspective and at the platform level by using Information system (IS) theories.
The community of inquiry (CoI) framework was extensively utilized as a theoretical basis for understanding online learning experiences and its three elements—teaching, cognitive and social presences—have long been deemed as major antecedents that influence learners' online learning behaviours and intentions.

What this paper adds

This paper integrated the community of inquiry (CoI) framework with Expectation confirmation theory and proposed three new variables: confirmed teaching presence (CTP), confirmed cognitive presence (CCP) and confirmed social presence (CSP).
The study reveals the internal mechanisms by which the three confirmed expectations impact online learners' courses continuance intention. This implies that different confirmed expectations may have varying effects on online learners' learning behaviour.
This research collects data from multiple sources to comprehensively explore online learners' expectations and perceptions. It also sheds light on the importance of learners' actual participation in the learning process for predicting their behavioural intentions.

Implications for practice and/or policy

The finding that learners' confirmed expectations impact their online course continuance intention conveys an important message to course practitioners: exaggerated or false claims for the online course must be avoided to prevent students from forming unrealistic expectations.
Improving online learners' course completion rate cannot be hinged upon simply and blindly fostering and extending the three presences. Instead, knowing learners' confirmed expectations of the three presences allows course practitioners to reconsider and organize the important course elements.
The research reveals the distinct role that each confirmed presence plays in promoting online learners' course continuance intention and, meanwhile, expands the understanding of learners' learning needs and experiences. Practitioners could make timely and appropriate strategies based on these to better motivate course learners' engagement and retention.

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探究社区对理解在线学习真的很重要吗？使用混合方法确定的视角

网络课程的高辍学率是网络教育可持续发展面临的重大挑战，其潜在因素包括经济问题、学习动机低、自我调节能力差等。因此，网络课程的延续已成为学术和实践领域的一个重要课题。本研究将探究共同体框架（CoI）与期望-确认理论相结合，在研究模型中引入了确认教学在场（CTP）、确认认知在场（CCP）和确认社会在场（CSP）三个新的结构，以了解对确认的认知在场（CoI）的期望如何决定在线学习者的课程继续意愿。本研究采用混合方法，利用偏最小二乘法（PLS）对409份学习者调查进行了定量分析，随后进行了半结构化访谈，揭示了已证实的CoI期望对学习者继续学习意愿的深度和广度。具体而言，定量结果揭示了CTP、CCP和CSP对学习者课程继续意愿的差异影响，并阐明了其内在机制。这些访谈通过阐明在线学习者的最初期望以及他们的课前和课后期望，提供了更深入的见解。研究结果不仅证明了已确认的期望在塑造在线学习者的课程继续意愿方面的关键作用，而且为改进在线课程设计和促进终身学习提供了可操作的建议。近年来，网络课程的规模不断扩大，吸引了大量的学习者，庞大的在线学习者基数给网络课程的发展带来了前所未有的巨大挑战。高辍学率尤其被认为是在线课程开发的一个严重问题。学习者的继续意向问题经常从技术角度和平台层面，运用信息系统（IS）理论进行探讨。探究共同体（CoI）框架被广泛用作理解在线学习体验的理论基础，其三个要素——教学、认知和社会存在——长期以来被认为是影响学习者在线学习行为和意图的主要前因。本文将探究共同体（CoI）框架与期望确认理论相结合，提出了三个新的变量：确认教学在场（CTP）、确认认知在场（CCP）和确认社会在场（CSP）。研究揭示了这三种期望影响在线学习者课程继续意愿的内在机制。这意味着不同的确定期望可能对在线学习者的学习行为产生不同的影响。本研究从多个来源收集数据，全面探讨在线学习者的期望和看法。它还揭示了学习者实际参与学习过程对预测其行为意图的重要性。对实践和/或政策的启示学习者确定的期望会影响他们继续在线课程的意愿，这一发现向课程从业者传达了一个重要信息：必须避免夸大或虚假的在线课程主张，以防止学生形成不切实际的期望。提高在线学习者的课程完成率不能简单地、盲目地培养和扩大三种存在。相反，了解学习者对这三种存在的确定期望可以让课程实践者重新考虑和组织重要的课程元素。研究揭示了每一种确认在场对促进在线学习者课程继续意愿的不同作用，同时拓展了对学习者学习需求和经验的理解。从业者可以在此基础上制定及时和适当的策略，以更好地激励课程学习者的参与和保留。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

British Journal of Educational Technology EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

15.60

自引率

4.50%

发文量

111

期刊介绍： BJET is a primary source for academics and professionals in the fields of digital educational and training technology throughout the world. The Journal is published by Wiley on behalf of The British Educational Research Association (BERA). It publishes theoretical perspectives, methodological developments and high quality empirical research that demonstrate whether and how applications of instructional/educational technology systems, networks, tools and resources lead to improvements in formal and non-formal education at all levels, from early years through to higher, technical and vocational education, professional development and corporate training.