This study involved 248 undergraduate students to examine the relationship between Community of Inquiry presences (teaching, social, cognitive) and Rogers's interersonal characteristics (empathy, genuineness, high regard). In addition, online and on-ground students were compared according to their experiences with these interpersonal factors.
Introduction
The Community of Inquiry (CoI) Survey is used in research to assess the adequacy of online classroom design and other aspects of online teaching and learning within the context of the CoI Model. Critical to the CoI Model are cognitive, teaching and social presences, which are measured by the CoI Survey (Swan, 2013). Some in the field of on-ground and online teaching and learning, emphasize the importance of interpersonal relationships. Rogers (1969) and Rogers, Lyon and Tausch (2014) maintained that learning is facilitated when the teacher uses empathy, genuineness and high regard to help the student(s) feel safe, trusted, creative and knowledgeable. When students do not feel connected to the teacher or with each other, their perceptions regarding the effectiveness of online learning are diminished (Aragron, 2003; Moore & Kkearsly, 2004).
Some critics of the CoI Model and Survey indicate that the Survey just does not adequately measure interpersonal relationships. Garrison (2009) recommended further research and exploration into the role of interpersonal relationships among the students and the teacher and their effect on the vitality of the online classroom. In an effort to address Garrison’s recommendation and other researchers’ questions about the role of interpersonal relationships in the online classroom, Bockmier-Sommers, Chen, and Martsch (2017) conducted research to address these questions. Initial results indicated a significant correlation between high regard and interaction engagement, followed by empathy and interaction engagement
To take this research to the next level, Bockmier-Sommers, Chen and Martsch (2017) sampled 248 online and on-ground students from a small Midwestern university to discern whether relationship exists between empathy, genuineness and high regard and cognitive, social and teaching presence. In addition, these researchers explored whether differences in perceived levels of empathy, genuineness and high regard exists between online and on-ground students. These results will be presented.
References
Aragon, S. (2003). Facilitating learning in online environments (NewiDirections for adult and continuing education, 100). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Garrison, D. R. (2009). Communities of online learning. In P. L. Rogers et al. (Eds). Encyclopedia of distance learning (pp. 352-355). 2nd ed. Hershey, PA: IGI Globa
Rogers, C. R. (1969). Freedom to Learn. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company.
Rogers, C. R., Lyon, Jr., H. C., and Tausch, R. (2014). On becoming an effective teacher: Person-centered teaching, psychology, philosophy, and dialogues with Carl R. Rogers and Harold C. Lyon, Jr. New York, NY: Routledge.
Swan, K., Vahey, P., Van ‘t Hooft, M., Kratcoski, A., Rafanan, K., Stanford, T., Yarnall, L. & Cook, D. (Spr 2013). Problem-based learning across the curriculum: Exploring the efficacy of a cross-curricular application of preparation for future learning. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 7(1). pp. 91- 110.
Research Questions
1.Does a relationship exist between social, cognitive and teaching presences and empathy, genuineness and high regard?
2.Do perceived differences in empathy, genuineness and high regard exist between on-ground and online students?
Methods
Subjects
Participants were 248 mid-western students enrolled in online courses. Of the 248 eligible students who completed our online survey, 67.30% (N=167) students were on-campus students who had taken at least one online course. On the contrary, 32.70% (N=81) were students that only took 100% online courses. The majority of participants in this study were females (70.60%). The Figure 1 illustrates the detail sample selection process.
Instruments
The Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (BLRI) contains a total of 40 items that was developed by Dr. Godfrey Barrett-Lennard. The BLRI comprises three subscales: Empathy, Level of Regard and Genuineness. The BLRI is structured as a self-report questionnaire, with a six-point bipolar rating scale ranging from -3 (NO, I strongly feel that it is not true) to +3 (YES, I strongly feel that it is true).
The Community Inquiry Questionnaire (CoI) contains a total of 34 items and was used to review student impressions of the social, teaching, and cognitive presences in the online courses they take. Table 1 below summarized the variables for this study.
Variables
Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (BLRI; 40-item online survey) measured empathy, genuineness and level of regard.
Empathy - Helps students feel understood & supported
Genuineness/Congruence - Prone to trust facilitator or teacher
High Regard (Level of Regard) -Helps students feel valued
Community of Inquiry Questionnaire (CoI; 34-item online survey) measured teaching, social and cognitive presence.
Teaching Presence - Defined as the design, facilitation, and direction of cognitive and social processes for the purpose of realizing personally meaningful and educational worthwhile learning outcomes.
Social Presence - Defined as the ability of learners to project themselves socially and affectively into a community of inquiry.
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.
Data analysis
The data analysis in this study involved Pearson Correlation analysis (research question 1) and independent t-tests (research question 2).
Results
Research question one investigated whether a relationship exists between social, cognitive and teaching presences and empathy, genuineness and high regard. The mean scores and standard deviations of survey items from the participants were tabulated as shown in Table 2. The results revealed that all variables were positively and directly correlated. The highest correlation was observed between empathy and teaching presence (r = .52, p < .001).
Research question two examined differences in empathy, genuineness and high regard exist between on-ground and online students. As shown in Table 3, there are no significant differences in empathy, genuineness and high regard between on-ground and online students (p > 0.05).
Discussion and Take-away Point(s):
- Rogers’ three core conditions had different levels of correlation with three presences from Community of Inquiry.
- Of the three relationship conditions, empathy was moderately correlated to all three presences (teaching, social and cognitive).
- Level of regard was moderately correlated with social and cognitive presences.
- Online students and on-ground students perceived no significant differences with regard to empathy, genuineness and level of regard in their respective classes.
Conclusion
These findings support if a classroom is designed using the CoI Model, the class contains interpersonal interaction or relationship between the teacher and the students. In addition, the finding that no differences exist with regard to empathy, congruence and high regard between online and on-ground students, which supports the contention online classes can be as interpersonally interactive as on-ground classes.
Interactivity (Active Engagement)
Presenters will respond to attendee questions and engage attendees in a conversation about interpersonal interaction in the online classroom. In addition, the presenters will engage attendees in a discussion of practical applications for increasing interpersonal interaction in the online classroom.
Audience Appeal
Quality relationship, as defined by high levels of empathy, genuineness and high regard, is a construct that is being widely discussed and examined internationally. In the context of online teaching and learning, students have been shown to find classrooms in which the instructor demonstrates empathy and high regard tend to be more engaging (Bockmier-Sommers & Chen, 2017). In addition, Garrison (2009) has recommended that additional research be directed toward discerning if the CoI Model adequately assesses the interpersonal aspects of online teaching and learning.