Strategies to Increase Connectedness in
Online Mathematics Courses
Sonia FordMidland College
Midland, TexasAMATYC 2013 S001
GoalsBenefits and Challenges to Online
Learning/Teaching
Community of Inquiry Model
Strategies to Increase Connectedness
Survey Results
Suggestions
Benefits of Online Courses
Opportunity
Flexibility
Innovations in Teaching
Challenges of Online Courses
Assessment of Student Learning
Time Commitment
Student Feelings of Isolation
Isolation
High Attrition
Low Student Satisfaction
Lower Perceived Student Learning
Community of Inquiry Model
Garrison, Anderson, Archer (2000)
Cognitive Presence
“the extent to which the participants in any particular configuration of a community of inquiry are able to construct meaning through sustained communication”
(Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000, p. 89)
Cognitive PresencePractical Inquiry Model (Dewey, 1933)
◦Triggering event
◦Exploration
◦Integration
◦Resolution
Social Presence
“the ability of participants in the Community of Inquiry to project their personal characteristics into the community, thereby presenting themselves to other participants as ‘real people’.”
(Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000, p. 89)
Social PresenceEmotional Expression
Open Communication
Group Cohesion
(Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000)
Teacher Presence
“includes the selection, organization, and primary presentation of course content, as well as the design and development of learning activities and assessment”
(Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000, p. 90)
Teacher PresenceInstructional Management
Building Understanding
Direct Instruction
(Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000)
Community of Inquiry Model
Garrison, Anderson, Archer (2000)
Strategies to Increase Connectedness
Introduction Activities
◦Introduction
◦Scavenger Hunt
◦Video Conference/Chat
Strategies to Increase Connectedness
Discussion Boards◦Participation
◦TopicsIntroductionStudy SkillsReflectionsMath Help Website and Video LinksMath and My Subject
◦Assessment
Strategies to Increase Connectedness
Checking In Reports
◦Participation
◦Topics
◦Assessment
Strategies to Increase Connectedness
Online Videos◦Instructor Introduction
◦Instructor Mathematics Videos
◦YouTube, Khan Academy, Patrick JMT, etc.
Strategies to Increase Connectedness
Help Requests◦E-mail
◦Module Questions
◦Virtual Café
Survey Results
Online Student Connectedness Survey (Bolliger & Inan, 2012)
Factors of Connectedness◦Comfort◦Community and Social Presence◦Instructor Facilitation◦Interaction and Collaboration
Survey ResultsAdministered during Fall 2012 and Spring
2013Courses
◦Introductory Algebra◦Intermediate Algebra*◦College Algebra*◦Statistics◦Business Math I & II◦Precalculus*
*courses I currently teach
Survey ResultsN = 131
M SD
Comfort 4.26 .79
Community 2.36 .79
Facilitation 4.13 .71
Interaction and Collaboration 2.76 1.10
Survey ResultsN = 131
Comfort Community Facilitation Interaction and Collaboration
CourseTool
Discussion Board
.25* .26* .22 .13
Video Conferencing
.25* .13 .26* .10
Blogs .27* .06 .28* -.04
Instructor Math Videos
.09 .10 .26* .01
Instructor Introduction Video
.23 .11 .42** .06
*p < .05, **p < .01
Strategies to Increase Connectedness
Your suggestions?
References Bolliger, D. U., & Inan, F. A. (2012). Development and validation of
the online student connectedness survey (OSCS). The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(3), 41-65.
Dewey, J. (1933). How we think. Boston, MA: Health.
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), 87-105.
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom (2nd ed.) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
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