If Garrison et al’s, Community of Inquiry model (2009) were to reflect Trinh’s situation then it would seem that the one of the overlapping circles, (teaching presence) is out of proportion. The way the scenario is framed, it appears that it is up to Trinh to be the sole human element of the course. She is the source of information for the tidal wave of emails that she receives. Could it be that if she receives that many daily emails, there is a problem with how the course is set up? The scenario does not elaborate as to the nature of the emails, so this response plan is speculative at best.
Here are tactics Trinh could work through:
- If the emails are housekeeping in nature (due dates, grading levels, etc.) is that information missing/ill-represented from another place? Could a calendar be set up for/with push reminders sent to student’s emails? To me, this is the social piece of the model.
- If the emails are with regards to course content, (library reserves, access to links, etc.) Can some of those queries be redirected to services offered by the library/help desk or even a forum within the course for students to help each other? Are there links (to YouTube videos) showing how to access information in a variety of formats? (As you know not everybody speaks Wookie). To me, this is the cognitive presence piece of the model.
- If the emails are specific questions about what the instructor is looking for in terms of assignments, then perhaps the assessment(s) lean too much toward the summative end of the spectrum instead of giving the formative scaffolding most students need in order to check their own progress. Stated differently when students sense there is so much riding on an end result, without knowing how to specifically get to those ends, they will most likely ask a lot of questions. Perhaps Trinh needs to structure some formative pieces into her assignments/lessons so students will know (without an email from her) that they are on the right track. This to me, is the teaching presence piece of the model.
Anderson, T. (2008). Towards a theory of learning. In T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning. Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebooks/02_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (1999). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), 87-105. Retrieved from http://www.anitacrawley.net/Articles/GarrisonAndersonArcher2000.pdf