My research topic examines the implications of the growth of blended learning on teaching practices in higher education in Canada. Specifically, I am focusing on the community of faculty and their educational development regarding their educational technology use and their pedagogical practices needed in a blended learning environment to engage learners in a learning community.
My main research question is: What implications might the increase of blended learning have on faculty’s teaching practices in Canadian Universities in British Columbia? My sub-questions are: In what ways might Communities of Practice (CoPs) contribute to Faculty Educational Development? How might faculty utilize educational technologies to support pedagogical practices in blended learning environments?
The proposed research is guided by the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. CoI is a framework that describes learning within a group of individuals with the intersection of social, teaching, and cognitive presence. (Vaughan, Cleveland-Innes, and Garrison, 2013). Through these presences, learners construct meaning purposefully and collaboratively.
Social Presence is learners’ ability to express their personalities [digital identities], conveying the essence of their real-self in mediated communication. (Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007). Cognitive presence is the extent to which learners can construct meaning through sustained reflection and discourse (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2010). Both cognitive and social processes are governed by the teaching presence (Vaughan, Cleveland-Innes, & Garrison,2013). Teaching Presence consists of design and organization, facilitation, and direct instruction (Vaughan, Cleveland-Innes, & Garrison,2013).
The reason for selecting CoI as a theoretical framework for my research is because establishing a CoI helps employ a framework to understand a community’s concept in online learning environments (Vaughan, Cleveland-Innes, and Garrison, 2013). Also, the quality of blended learning depends on the design of blended learning and students’ engagement in the learning environment (Duffy & Kirkley, 2004). Therefore, poorly designed learning environments may result in a poor learning experience. I plan on utilizing CoI as a lens to investigate the teaching practices required in blended learning environments.
Have you used CoI as your theoretical framework in your research? why?
References
Duffy, T., & Kirkley, J. R. (2004). Learner-centred theory and practice in distance education: Cases from higher education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2010). The first decade of the community of inquiry: A retrospective. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(1-2), 5-9. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.10.003
Vaughan, N. D., Cleveland-Innes, M., & Garrison, D. R. (2013). Teaching in blended learning environments: Creating and sustaining communities of inquiry. Athabasca University Press.
Contribution
November 30, 2020 at 11:05 am
Hi Tala,
I really like your intended research focus. I feel too often faculty feel that their identified subject matter expertise is sufficient to qualify them as an instructor. I’d suggest that if we as faculty spent a 10th of the time we invested in obtaining our subject matter expertise into learning how to teach, we’d all be the better for it.
An interesting paper hosted on Educause discusses faculty professional development for the coming generation of learners identifying the need to improve faculty fluency in the use of ICTs. The authors note that the fast changing face of education often creates anxiety and apprehension for instructor faced with using modern teaching tools and identify the need to encourage faculty professional development that is focused the use of modern ICTs (Fowler, Moore, & Moore, n.d.).
It would be fantastic if your research were to shine a light on the daunting task ahead for committed faculty to keep current with technology’s demands starting a broader conversations around faculty’s responsibilities to the learners to remain current with today’s digital educational tools.
Owen
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References
Fowler, S., Moore, A., & Moore, J. (n.d.). Faculty Development for the Net Generation. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications/books/educating-net-generation/faculty-development-net-generation
December 3, 2020 at 8:42 pm
Thank you Owen for your comment and for the article, it is really useful! I appreciate it. I really hope I’ll be able to contribute to new information that could help faculty members in their journey in digital learning environments 🙂 this is my goal for the upcoming 6 months!
December 1, 2020 at 4:40 pm
Excellent choice Tala and you’ve done a great job both in explaining the TF and in justifying why it is a right choice. I’m looking forward to seeing what your colleagues provide in terms of your question as to whether they are looking at this as a TF as well
December 3, 2020 at 8:42 pm
Thank you, Deb, and thanks for your helpful feedback and support!
December 1, 2020 at 6:17 pm
HI Tala,
Your choice of COI for your TF showcases the understanding you have of the work on individuals and groups as a whole as groups build community and knowledge in the group as a whole and in the individuals of that group. I note that this TF is actually actioned on your sub-question, and that this might be different than the TF you might apply to your main research question; What implications might the increase of blended learning have on faculty’s teaching practices in Canadian Universities in British Columbia?
I am considering using COI as my TF for my research, which involves the questions of how to develop and build Indigenous worldviews into online learning environments. Ultimately, I am looking to research both the integration of other worldviews other than those already well entrenched in online education environments, and how that may be practically enable online. Good luck on your research; this is needed research.
December 3, 2020 at 8:44 pm
Thank you Earl for your comment. Like ” I am looking to research both the integration of other worldviews other than those already well entrenched in online education environments and how that may practically enable online.” I really love and appreciate what you do for the indigenous community, they should be proud of you and your work 🙂