Social Presence in Blended Course Forums in the Training of Preservice Teachers

Abstract

Integration of blended learning environments into the learning process of teacher training may lead to the realization of an educational vision of creating a collaborative learning environment, with the aim to develop social-emotional skills and establish a learning community. The research question of this study was: What are the factors that affect social involvement in forums and the perception of threat and challenge of preservice teachers in a blended course? Participating in this mixed-method study were 120 Israeli preservice teachers, who completed a threat/challenge questionnaire and answered open questions. One of the most noteworthy findings was that many students felt a threat reading the posts written by other students, more so than they felt regarding writing their own responses on the forum. Many students noted that the forums allowed them to express their opinions, raise questions, share, enrich, and support. Forums encourage social emotional dialogue, and the giving and receiving of feedback.