The prediction of collaborative efl task achievement by teaching, social and cognitive presence

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study investigated how well teaching, social and cognitive presence would predict collaborative task achievement in an English language learning context. Specifically, it was conducted at the prep school of a private, not-for-profit university in Turkey. A total of 169 students at a pre-intermediate level of proficiency participated in the study. The study employed an ex post facto research design along with an explanatory sequential mixed method. The survey results were analyzed through a standard multiple regression analysis accompanied by qualitative data analysis of semi-structured interviews. The interview results were mainly used for descriptive purposes. The survey results revealed that the participants regarded the learning environment as a community of inquiry; yet, the predictive power of the presences as a group was non-significant. Moreover, the presences could not significantly predict task achievement individually either. In other words, no predictive relationship was found between the presences and the collaborative task achievement despite their relatively adequate levels involved in the target learning context as suggested by survey ratings and interview results.