Making an Impact in Online Learning: Google Chat as a Mechanism to Facilitate the COI Framework

Research shows that utilizing Google Chat aids in positive student experiences (Saadatmand et al., European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning 20:61-79, 2017), promotes learner interaction (Kobayashi, Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education 16:28-39, 2015), and has a higher level of satisfaction over traditional communication tools such as email (He and Huang, Journal of Research on Technology in Education 49:149-160, 2017). To understand how these tools impact learning, we explore the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison et al., The Internet and Higher Education 2:87-105, 2000a). It positions that learning occurs through the interaction and intersection of three connected presences: social, teaching, and cognitive. Pairing these with the CoI framework might be one way to aid instructors in promoting student-instructor communication. The results of this research represent the interplay of all three CoI constructs. Moreover, interestingly did not significantly result in one presence area over the other but instead positively impacted students' overall learning experience. Qualitative results indicated how students were utilizing Google Chat and for what purpose, barriers to use, and how they envision using this tool within their own teaching. Instructional recommendations are provided for implementing synchronous tools to support formal online instructional methods.