Establishing Social, Cognitive and Teacher Presences to Develop Students' Digital Competencies through their Engagements in Online Learning

ABSTRACT

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has resulted in multimodal emergency remote teaching and learning. As a result, academics have been challenged to ensure that students' engagement is maintained in order to enhance their learning experiences. The purpose of this study was to examine ways in which instructors established social, cognitive, and teacher presences during online learning at a university in the United Arab Emirates. The study was done using a qualitative case study within an interpretive paradigm. A field note template and documentary analysis were used to collect data. Results showed that participants established the three critical components of the community of inquiry in multiple ways that catered to students' diverse needs and enhanced their digital competencies and learning experiences. © 2022 by the International Institute of Informatics and Systemics. All rights reserved.