Section outline

  • Teaching Presence is the backbone of a well–structured online or blended course. It encompasses the intentional design of learning paths, the facilitation of dialogue, and the provision of direct instruction. When Teaching Presence is strong, students feel guided, supported, and oriented throughout the course journey. 

    The following scenarios show how to reinforce Teaching Presence in online/blended courses through clear design, active facilitation, and effective direct instruction.

    Teaching presence is “the design, facilitation, and direction of cognitive and social processes for the purpose of realizing personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomes” (Rourke, Anderson, Garrison, & Archer, 2001).

    The Teaching presence encompasses 3 main constructs:

    • Design & organization. It takes place with significant upfront planning, including the creation of materials, lesson sequencing, and setting assignment guidelines.
    • Facilitation. Facilitation entails consistently overseeing and providing feedback on participants’ contributions to sustain their interest, motivation, and engagement.
    • Direct instruction. It takes place when focusing on clarifying concepts, addressing misconceptions, and providing resources, independent of the role assumed.