Impact of community of inquiry and authentic learning on learning outcomes in online health science education

This study examined the relationships between student perceptions of cognitive presence, social presence, teaching presence---elements of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework---and authentic learning with final exam scores and final grades of 106 students enrolled in online and blended nursing informatics courses at a Midwestern nursing college. It also examined the relationships between authentic learning and the CoI presences. The Community of Inquiry Framework Survey was used to measure student perceptions of cognitive, social and teaching presence. The authentic learning scale of the Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (DELES) was used to measure student perceptions of the authentic learning environment.;There was a statistically significant, strong, positive correlation between all three of the CoI presences, authentic learning, and the CoI composite. There was a statistically significant, positive correlation between the three CoI presences and final course grade and between the CoI composite and final course grade. There was no statistically significant correlation found between authentic learning and cumulative GPA, final exam grade, or final course grade. Also, there were no statistically significant correlations found between any of CoI presences (or composite) and cumulative GPA or final exam grade. These findings suggest that an authentic learning environment may enhance the cognitive, social, and teaching presence in an online health science course. The findings also suggest the presences are positively correlated to increased student achievement in course learning outcomes as measured by a final grade.