[QM Rubric Standards: #5.2, #5.4 & #6.2]

"Social Presence =
“the ability of participants to identify with the community (e.g., course of study), communicate purposefully in a trusting environment, and develop inter-personal relationships by way of projecting their individual personalities.” (Garrison, 2009)

Cognitive Presence =
the extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2001)."
-Community of Inquiry Model

Reality Check

Adding tech tools to be 'cool' or for 'the kids these days' (who actually have decreasing tolerance for extraneous interfaces/ tools) will not promote engagement.

However carefully selected tools, deeply integrated and situated in a learning context can promote engagement. Specifically with an eye toward enabling establishment and promoting of students' Social/Cognitive Presences at a distance.

Tools for Student-Student Engagement

Canvas Groups
This allows a Course mini site for group members only - discussions, files, announcements and assignments. To get the biggest bang for the learning buck, design the activity using Best Practices in Small Group Activities
Canvas Discussion
Going beyond the lifeless death by 'Reply to 2 Classmates', give students a context and structured higher order task to meaningfully engage, such as a Fishbowl or Group Jigsaws or Role Plays or Debates etc.
Canvas Peer Review
Leverage regularly (vs one-off) to get students practice on using/applying Clear Assessment Criteria & Standards to their work and others, as well as multiply the feedback data they are getting.
VoiceThread
Brings Student Faces/Voices back into distance for closer approximation of natural interaction around content.
(Note: We are working on purchasing a pilot/ trial site licence for this - contact Mike if interested in being a part of this)