The roles of extrinsic factors in a community of inquiry model of e-learning

Abstract

Despite its proliferation in higher learning institutions, e-learning has been criticised as being nothing more than trivial online conversations, or a mere means of delivering class materials electronically. If e-learning is to address such criticisms and become an effective pedagogical platform, educators need to identify elements critical to the success of e-learning. A well-known framework for studying e-learning as a pedagogical platform is the community of inquiry (COI) model. In this study, the authors develop a conceptual COI model to propose that while satisfactory e-learning experience stems from the interactions among three presences - social, cognitive, and teaching - the relative influences of the presences on e-learning experience are moderated by five extrinsic factors: content richness, perceived ease of use of e-learning platform, type of curriculum, teaching orientation, and participant age. They argue that this extended and more comprehensive COI framework would help educators better understand e-learning's use as an effective pedagogical platform.