Resource Sharing Activity #3

Social Presence and Online Learning:

A Current View from a Research Perspective

Resource link:  http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/PDF/8.3.4.pdf


This article is a compilation of surveys administered to various groups of participants upon the completion of online courses. The purpose of the surveys was to measure the importance of social presence in online learning. The term CMC (computer mediated communication) was used throughout the article and is defined as human interaction through computer technology similar to our online learning community.

Participants in the survey indicated that the role of monitor (facilitator) is critical to creating a sense of online community and enhancing social presence. Useful techniques for enhancing social presence included providing a forum for introductions in order to allow for social interaction along with academic interaction, and providing a collaborative learning experience. It is the techniques for encouraging and promoting social interaction that have proven as vital as the medium itself.

Another study that included a model of community inquiry and identified three core elements of an educational experience: social presence, cognitive presence and teaching presence. Cognitive presence, a vital element in critical thinking, refers to constructing and sustaining meaning through communication. Teaching presence refers to providing subject manner and expertise, as well as, designing and managing learning. Social presence is defined as the ability of participants in a community of inquiry to project their personal characteristics into the community, thereby projecting themselves to others as “real people”.

In another model that was discussed there are three categories of social presence: expression of emotion, open communication, and group cohesion. Emotional expression includes humor and self-disclosure. Open communication consists of reciprocal and respectful exchanges. Examples of open communication are mutual awareness and recognition of each other’s contributions. Group cohesion refers to activities that foster a sense of group commitment and a sense of belonging. Cognitive presence itself is not enough to sustain a community of learners— individuals must feel comfortable relating to each other. Therefore, social presence is critical to cognitive presence and to establishing a critical community of learners.

The results from the research revealed that when information is presented in a way that increases social presence, the participants remember it and the learning process is improved. Gunawardena and Zittle (1997) differentiate social presence and interaction. Interactivity is a potential quality of communication that a person may or may not be aware of. Once the participant is aware and noticed by other participants, then there is “social presence”. In order to increase the level of online interaction, the degree of social presence must also be increased.

The results also revealed that subjects with a low level of social presence did not make use of emoticons (An emoticon is a small picture or symbol that shows how someone is feeling) and therefore had no effect on satisfaction. However, subjects with a higher level of social presence emoticons were used often to compensate for the lack of physical gestures, voice inflects and facial expressions.

My personal experience in this online course is the connection I have to the assigned reading and this article. I understand now from experience how important it is to not only establish a social presence but maintain it as well.  After missing several online post deadlines, I feel disconnected and separated from my colleagues. Logging in DAILY and contributing to discussions are vital to staying connected and maintaining cohension.  Just as this article states, social presence is just as important as the plateform we use to communicate.

To conclude, social presence is a key component in any online learning community. The results from the studies, as reported in this article, basically reinforce the belief that participants in online courses feel comfortable relating and interacting in an online environment.

Gunawardena, C. N., & Zittle, F. J. (1997). Social presence as a predictor of satisfaction with a computer-mediated conferencing environment. American Journal of Distance Education,11, 8-26.