Designing the Social Environment for Online Learning: The Role of Social Presence

Authors

Charlotte Nirmalani Gunawardena, University of New MexicoFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2004

Abstract

A major challenge to designing online learning is the development of appropriate means to facilitate the social environment that is critical for higher-order learning in many disciplines. In many online learning designs, the majority of resources are channeled to web interface design and technology, while little or no resources are devoted to facilitating the teaching and learning process, the negotiation of meaning and the validation of knowledge among peers and instructors that depends on a conducive socio-cultural environment and adequate learner support. This paper seeks to address this issue by examining one factor, social presence that has been shown to influence the social environment of online education.

Publisher

Open University of Hong Kong Press

Publication Title

Distance Education and Technology: Issues and Practice

First Page

255

Last Page

270

Language (ISO)

English

Keywords

Online learning, social environment, social presence

Recommended Citation

Gunawardena, C. (2004) Designing the social environment for online learning: The role of social presence. In D. Murphy, R. Carr, J. Taylor, & T. Wong (Eds.), DistanceEducation and Technology: Issues and Practice (pp. 255-270). Hong Kong: OpenUniversity of Hong Kong Press.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Comments

Pre-print version.