An exploration of synchronous communication in an online preservice ESOL course: Community of Inquiry perspective

viii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 Overview 1 Theoretical Framework 3 Constructivism 3 Sociocultural Theory 4 Interaction and Computer-Mediated Communication 5 Community of Inquiry (CoI) 6 Statement of the Problem 10 Purpose 18 Research Questions 18 Significance of the Study 19 Delimitations and Limitations 21 Delimitations 21 Limitations 22 Operational Definitions of Terms 23 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 26 Overview 26 The Theoretical Framework 27 Social Learning and Sociocultural Theory 27 Sociocultural Theory 28 Sociocultural Theory and Distance Education 33 Community 36 Online Learning Community 40 Community of Inquiry (CoI) 43 Social Presence 44 Cognitive Presence 47 Teaching Presence 52 Design and Organization 53 Facilitating Discourse 54 Direct Instruction 56 Distance Education 58 ii History of Distance Education 59 Distance Education for Teacher Education 71 Distance Education and Second Language Teacher Education 76 Interaction (CMC) as a Core Element in Distance Education 80 Learner-learner interaction 82 Learner-instructor interaction 83 Learner-content interaction 83 Synchronous and Asynchronous Modes of Interaction 84 Research on Synchronous Interaction 90 Summary of Research on Synchronous Interaction 100 Research on Online Community of Learning 100 Summary of Research on CoI 123 Conclusion to Chapter 2 124 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 127 Overview 127 The Setting and Participants of the Study 128 The Setting 128 Language Principles and Acquisition Course 130 My Role as a Researcher and Instructor 139 Research Design 143 Research Method 145 Recruitment and Sampling of Participants 148 Data Collection 152 Surveys 160 Student Reflections 161 Researcher/Teacher Reflective Journal 161 Interviews 162 Synchronous Session Recordings 164 Elluminate Live recordings 164 Gmail Chat recordings 166 Additional Data Sources 167 Data Analysis 169 Trustworthiness 177 Conclusion to Chapter 3 179 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS 181 Overview 181 A Holistic Analysis of the Course 182 Analysis of Synchronous Communications 187 Gmail Chat 187 Gmail Chat and CoI 192 Teaching Presence 192 Social Presence 196 Cognitive Presence 199 Summary of Gmail Chat and CoI 199 iii Elluminate Live Meetings 200 Course Orientation Meeting 202 Teaching Presence 203 Social Presence 204 Cognitive Presence 208 Phonology and Morphology Meeting 211 Teaching Presence 211 Social Presence 214 Cognitive Presence 217 Midterm Review Meeting 220 Teaching Presence 221 Social Presence 223 Cognitive Presence 225 SLA Theories Meeting 230 Teaching Presence 231 Social Presence 237 Cognitive Presence 241 LEP Analysis Presentation Meeting 243 Teaching Presence 244 Social Presence 252 Cognitive Presence 257 Summary of Elluminate Live Meetings 261 Tom 263 Tom‘s Profile 263 Tom‘s Perspectives of Gmail Chat, CoI, and Satisfaction 267 Tom‘s Perspectives of Elluminate Live, CoI, and Satisfaction 270 Social Presence 272 Teaching Presence 278 Cognitive Presence 280 Summary of Tom‘s Perspectives 284 Kristina 284 Kristina‘s Profile 284 Kristina‘s Perspectives on Gmail Chat, CoI, and Satisfaction 286 Kristina‘s Perspectives on Elluminate Live, CoI, and Satisfaction 291 Social Presence 293 Teaching presence 297 Cognitive Presence 298 Summary of Kristina‘s Perspectives 302 April 303 April‘s profile 303 April‘s Perspectives on Gmail Chat, CoI, and Satisfaction 305 April‘s Perspectives on Elluminate Live, CoI, and Satisfaction 309 Social Presence 311 Teaching Presence 315 Cognitive Presence 318 Summary of April‘s Perspectives 321 iv Conclusion to Chapter Four 322 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS 323 Introduction to Chapter Five 323 Discussion of Findings for Research Questions 323 Gmail Chat, CoI and Satisfaction 324 Elluminate Live, CoI and Satisfaction 328 Critical role of teaching presence 330 Critical role of social presence for cognitive presence 331 Effects of student expectations, previous experience, and preferred teaching and learning styles 332 Greater sense of social presence for the group and instructor 333 Change in perspectives over time 333 Perceiving teaching presence as content teaching 334 Other factors found to be effective by students for CoI 334 Theoretical Implications 335 Methodological and Software Implications 336 Pedagogical Implications 338 Gmail Chat 339 Elluminate Live 340 Training and Planning 340 Interactivity 342 Setting Climate 343 Use of Webcam 343 Time Management 344 Recommendations for Future Research 345 Conclusion 346 REFERENCES 348 APPENDICES 376 Appendix A: Syllabus 377 Appendix C: Self and Group Evaluation Rubric 386 Appendix D: Survey-1 387 Appendix E: Survey-2 390 Appendix F: Synchronous Meeting Student Reflection Log 393 Appendix G: Synchronous Meeting Researcher Observation Log 395 Appendix H: Instructor/Researcher Self-Reflection Protocol 396 Appendix I: The Probing Interview Questions 398 Appendix J: Informed Consent 400 Appendix K: Copyright Permission for the CoI Figures and Tables 404 ABOUT THE AUTHOR END PAGE