| This qualitative inquiry explored the phenomenon of online learning on a community college campus within the paradigm of Community of Inquiry (CoI). The learning experience of 15 community college students taking fully online courses was examined in-depth for evidence of social, cognitive, and instructional domains; identified by CoI as critical components for the facilitation of a meaningful learning experience in computer-mediated environments. Findings convey only limited social, cognitive, and teaching presence and as a result, a meaningful learning experience was not achieved for the participants. The role of the instructor emerged as an influential element affecting the learning experience. Findings from this study raise questions about the pedagogical soundness of fully online courses for community college students. Future research should examine online learning as a distinct pedagogy and focus more intently on the teaching and learning process.;Keywords: online learning, online courses, community college students, two-year students, and Community of Inquiry.. |
