Bridging a discipline divide through the lens of community of inquiry

Abstract

Online discussion forums are a common element of teaching and learning within higher education institutions. Effective teaching presence is required to ensure that active online interaction encourages learners to continually share, question, debate, justify and consider multiple perspectives/solutions rather than to take a passive role. This paper investigates connections between disciplines in the use of asynchronous online discussion forums to deepen discipline knowledge. By crossing the divide between the mathematics and teacher education disciplines this paper compares and contrasts how these varied disciplines explore meaning-making within their undergraduate discussion forums. Data from undergraduate discussion forums are analysed for cognitive presence using Garrison, Anderson and Archer’s (2000) Community of Inquiry model. One outcome from this study is that discipline matters but teaching presence matters more.