I have spent a good amount of time searching the literature to an useful and applicable frameworks for designing and evaluating effective distance education – one framework that I like best is the Community of Inquiry Framework.
Based on John Dewey’s (1933) practical inquiry model and consistent with many of the tenets of social constructivist theory, Garrison and Anderson (2003) noted that the COI framework is based on the notion that knowledge construction is a collaborative, continuous process. They stated that the community of inquiry is “a fusion of individual and shared worlds” (p. 23).
I find that COI is useful as it is consistent with the values and the goals of higher education to promote deep learning and meaningful inquiry, for the construct of cognitive presence is concerned with higher-order thinking (Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007). According to the COI framework, effective learning occurs within a community in which not only CP is present, but three elements interact: social presence (SP), cognitive presence (CP), and teaching presence (TP). The purpose of education is invariably associated with CP, and SP and TP are, in essence, facilitators of CP.
Researchers have suggested that while SP is necessary and foundational to CP, it is not sufficient to create a meaningful educational experience. If learners are to engage in critical discourse and higher-order knowledge application, their interactions must be structured, directed, and facilitated (Hewitt, 2003; Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005). TP is, thus, important because it supports the development of CP (e.g. trigger event, exploration, integration, and resolution; Garrison & Cleveland- Innes, 2005). Garrison et al. (2001) summarized this by stating,
“For a computer conference to serve as an educational environment, it must be more than undirected, unreflective, random exchanges and dumps of opinions. Higher-order learning requires systematic and sustained critical discourse where dissonance and problems are resolved through exploration, integration, and testing. The guide (i.e., practical inquiry model) must be the full cycle of the critical-thinking process, which includes interactions between the public shared world and the private reflective world. The complexity and challenge of facilitating this educational process in an asynchronous text-based environment necessitates skilled facilitation. Collaborative learning in an educational sense is more than a mindless free-for-all. Interaction must be coordinated and synergistic. This requires an understanding of the medium of communication, the process of higher-order learning, and the critical role of teaching presence in attaining higher order learning outcomes. “(p. 14)
Check out: http://communitiesofinquiry.com/ for more information about this framework to learn about how it can be applied to distance education and is useful for assessment. I would note however, the one aspect of learning that I think this frame work neglects in emotions.
References
Garrison, D. R. (2007). Online community of inquiry review: Social, cognitive, andteaching presence issues. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 11(1), 61−72.
Garrison, D. R., & Anderson, T. (2003). E-Learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice. London: Routledge/Falmer.
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2, 87-105.