The slides I used to support my presentation in the department seminar on the role of the online tutor in establishing social presence.

1. Role of the online tutor in
establishing social presence in
asynchronous text-based
collaborative learning
environments

2. Role of the online tutor in
establishing social presence in
asynchronous text-based
collaborative learning
environments on Fronter

3. Online tutoring
• Not teaching but guiding
• Multiple classifications of roles
– Pedagogical, managerial, technical, social
• Student perceptions??
– Explorative

4. Context
• E-teaching (2015-2016), Fronter
– Asynchronous text-based
• Participants
– Origin – Europe/ Africa/ Asia
– Different levels of experience, background, age
• F2f intro sessions locally in Norway and Africa
• 6(5) multicultural groups

5. Data collection
• Observations
• Surveys
– Feedback
– Social presence
• Followup interviews

6. What’s social presence?
• Connection vs. isolation
• Representation of oneself as an individual
• Meaningful collaborative knowledge
construction
• Collaborative community vs. exchange of
information

7. What affects it?
• Communication medium
• Communication context
– Emotional expression
– Open communication
– Group cohesion
Lack of synchronicity–––––
––––– Online tutor

8. Asynchronous communication
• No interruptions/ judgements
• Directly relating to other participants’
contributions – explicit acknowledgement
• On-task
• Based on expectations – «violated» flow of
interactions, delayed feedback
• Multiple threads active at the same time

9. Fronter discussions
• Text misinterpretation
– Lack of synchronicity
– Alternative communication channels
– Informal groups
• Scattered contributions
– Unrelated to peer participants
• Absent students

10. Communication context
• Free sharing of opinions
– Encouragement from the rest
• Mutual acknowledgement
– Inclusion of contributions in the final deliverable
• Shared values
– Group contract
• Social identity
– Personal introductions
– Impersonal environment
– On-task

11. Implications for the tutor
• Group contract  awareness
• Open mind
• Equality of contributions & mutual
acknowledgement
• Combine with alternative communication media
 coordination & off-task communication
• Combine with synchronous meetings
– Initial  personal introductions
– Througout the process  shared understanding