Evaluating Cognitive Presence to Observe Community of Inquiry Forming Process

Abstract

Community of Inquiry is a community formed in blended learning. One aspect of the inquiry community is cognitive presence. Cognitive presence shows that there is a cognitive process that occurs in students who take part in blended learning. This research is a qualitative descriptive study conducted on 30 chemistry students in the third year. This research was conducted using cognitive presence observation sheets from each phases of the community of inquiry. Cognitive presence phases are triggering events, exploration, integration, and application. The results shows that blended learning had been carried out in forming process of community of inquiry. The triggering event phase is carried out at the initial face-to-face meeting. Students begin to get an initial overview of the material. In addition students get material and discussion topics to be studied. At the exploratio stage students discuss in small groups simultaneously. The integration phase is carried out during class discussions between students and teachers in e-learning forums. The application phase is carried out at the end of learning as indicated by the development of research designs by students.