Hello Colleagues,

I hope you all are having a Blessed Holy Week. 

Recently I participated in a study and was impressed by the information offered via the My Teaching Co-Pilot AI Assistant being developed to help instructors support cognitive presence in discussion forums. This theoretical framework seems to dovetails with Social Presence Literacy and I thought you all might be interested in participating in the study or learning more about the framework. 

Basically cognitive presence is identified as a key component of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, widely used in online and blended learning environments. It refers to the extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse. The CoI framework identifies 4 phases of cognitive presence that are part of the PIM Practical Inquiry Model: Triggering event, exploration, integration, resolution (Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007).

 The phases involve: 

Triggering Event – identification of a problem, issue, or dilemma that stimulates curiosity and engagement. The initial spark if you will, that sets the stage for further inquiry.

Exploration - Learners engage in the process of understanding the nature of the problem, seeking out relevant information and exploring differing perspectives, forming tentative ideas.

Integration – Learner focus and structure their ideas to make meaning by synthesizing information they have gathered and developing coherent well supported arguments or solutions. 

Resolution – Learners present a solution to the problem, by reducing complexity by constructing a meaningful framework or discovering a contextually-specific solution. 

In my personal experience, I found the software to be useful to identify where my learners were at in the cycle. This can enable me to differentiate instruction by wording CATs or prompts for more information in our discussion forums based on where my learners are at in the process. I have been using my intuition about what topics needed to be covered for deeper discussion, however using this model of Co-Pilot seemed to allow for more precision in what approach would be appropriate for the level of understanding, or phase my learners are in. 

 Here is the link to My Teaching Co-Pilot – Cognitive Presence software and attached are some prompts and outputs to give you an idea about how it works:  

https://hf.co/chat/assistant/6797b777d75aa722e93165c9

And, here is a link if you would like to participate in the study:

https://ncsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9ZXrHD7aVZi27Ma

I believe the four phases of cognitive presence within the CoI framework have significant implications for fostering Social Presence Literacy.

For example, a well-crafted triggering event can not only spark cognitive engagement but also encourage initial social interaction as learners share their first reactions and connect with the topic and each other. We can design prompts that invite personal connections and shared experiences related to the problem.

During exploration, social presence is crucial for learners to feel comfortable sharing tentative ideas, asking clarifying questions, and respectfully engaging with diverse perspectives. We can model open communication and create a safe space for intellectual risk-taking.

As learners synthesize information and begin to integrate what they are learning, social interaction through collaborative activities and peer feedback becomes vital for testing understanding and refining ideas. I think social presence supports the constructive critique and co-construction of meaning within the learning community.

When presenting solutions in the resolution phase, a strong sense of social presence allows learners to confidently share their conclusions and engage in meaningful dialogue about their findings with their peers and the instructor. This phase reinforces the shared learning experience and strengthens community bonds.

It helped me to be aware of this framework to actively foster social presence within each phase of development. I feel like I might be able to offer more engaging, supportive, and ultimately a more effective online learning environment where both cognitive and social learning thrive. 

References

Garrison, D. R., & Arbaugh, J. B. (2007). Researching the community of inquiry framework: Review, issues, and future directions. The Internet and higher education, 10(3), 157-172. 

Attached are prompts and outputs if you would like to dive deeper.