Implementation of the Community of Inquiry Model for a Blended EFL Writing Course

Using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model as a framework, this case study sought to describe the development of EFL blended learning course and explore students’ perceptions on the value of teaching, social, and cognitive presences of the CoI. The study involved 21 students enrolled in blended English writing courses. Data were collected through observation of the blended classroom, questionnaire, reflective journal, and interviews. Implementing the CoI framework to this course, it created new indicators in teaching, social, and cognitive presence. The CoI questionnaire yielded numeric findings of value for each presence, and reflective journal and interviews were qualitatively analyzed to provide students’ detailed explanation of the value placed on each presence. The result indicated that the CoI framework created new indicators for this study and could be served as an adequate model for describing the course development. In regards to students’ perceptions on CoI framework, the result showed that students agreed on the effectiveness of each presence in general, but teaching presence was placed to be the most effective element for learning English writing in a blended learning environment. Detailed description of the helpfulness of each presence is shared with implications for EFL blended courses.