After gathering needed readings and first read of articles on Social Presence, I now have real questions---to mean real questions that pop out (not as a means to satisfy a proposal submission nor like somekind of afterthought upon seeing that there is rich source of data to match questions) but more like it was questions that bug me at the onset of this new found curiosity on Social Presence. Of course it was a product of prior interest in sense of community, the COI and teacher presence.
Looking back at my first month of studies at USQ, I think I picked up Social Presence from 1 email exchange with Dr PR. And then since I thought maybe it was connected with Sense of Community ( the first construct I studied upon entering the online teaching-learning world, and hands on experience with a virtual community site building), I decided to explore a better understanding of it. So I just read and read and read, alongside practising my a new tool, EndNote.
Then the few interviews and field visits I managed to do alongside only confirm recent research done on Open High Schools. I therefore see that I cannot compromise a few plans I've had at the back of my mind for this research endeavor.
I came around to asking my adviser a question, then of course, she managed to see through what I was trying to word into an actual research question.
It practically opened what I can only label as a A CAN of STARS-- you can literally see me having stars surrounding my head, not out of a bad bump, but more out of sheer excitement with this new study I am treading on...and neatly seeing how it is a continuation of prior curiosities.
So Id like to capture this moment, knowing that at some point, the stars may become dark clouds of confusion or a mud of messiness...let that take care of itself. For now, try to see what Im seeing.....
Given that in a specific context such as learning communities in
transition, there are clear cut/ defined
roles among teachers and learners. But
then possibly, there may exist shared roles in the area of SP and sense of
community.
What if through my study, I initially capture the educational
experiences of learners through the elements of the COI:
“what is the nature of the educational experiences of learners in the
Open High School?”
Then afterwards, I attempt to
capitalize on SP and TP in the process
of building a virtual community site in
support of existing attempts to go blended or online.
This can be done by introducing/
co-facilitating the use of a virtual learning community site (either as learner
support/ tutor/ and HS teacher) to jumpstart online community building,
socialization, and with spaces for class related discussion forums, will this still be
fine?... and if so, will this mean an
action research component?
Then how about, I reexamine and investigate
the elements of COI, particularly the development and interaction of the TP and
SP overlap, that is, "setting the climate for learning":
“Upon the development of a virtual community site for OHS teachers and learners,
what will be the manifestations of TP and SP in setting the climate for
learning? What will the interactions of TP and SP be like? How do these
contribute to specific outcomes—such as sense of community or self efficacy or
even initial CP?
Maybe then, a reinterpretation of the COI
framework/ model will emerge, if not maybe additional indicators of it, or
perhaps a rearrangement of the elements will take place, to fit the context of
learning communities in transition…like a prequel version of a COI which may be
applied at the secondary, and in support of movement towards the direction of a
more genuine COI at the higher education level. Therefore, my study asks:
In what ways can the COI framework be utilized to examine the
educational experiences of teachers and learners of the Open High School in the Philippines?
