ANG FONG NIE P 106176

CHEN XIU WEI P 106506

NURZAWANAH ROHAIZAT P 106114
TEE SHU MIN P 106505

GGGB 6012 ACADEMIC WRITING 1

GROUP WORK: CONCEPTUAL PAPER

TITLE:
Community of Inquiry Framework: Online Learning Challenges for Malaysian
Learners

LECTURER

DR. MASLAWATI MOHAMAD

PREPARED BY:
 Abstract
Online learning plays a big role in the education field nowadays. Modern ICT provide enormous
opportunities for effective communication as well as teaching and learning process. The
Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework comprised of three main elements; teaching presence,
social presence and cognitive presence was first proposed by Garrison et al. (2000) and is
widely used among the online learning practitioners. Predominantly, the purpose of this paper is
to get more insight of the CoI framework for online learning specifically for Malaysian learners.
It also aims to observe in depth the issues arise around the social, teacher and cognitive
presence among learners based on their online learning experience through a Mixed Method
approach. The most common challenges in online learning are learners’ motivation,
communication, skills, tools and equipment. With a sufficient support from the whole learning
community, CoI framework can produce a more productive and effective learning. Thus, this
paper will be reviewing other relevant past studies regarding the benefits of CoI framework and
the challenges in executing it. It is hoped that the findings from the study will be a stepping stone
for the implementation of the CoI framework for online learning in Malaysia, thus serve as a
guideline for educators in Malaysia.
Keywords: Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework; online learning; challenges
1.0 Introduction
The development of technology enables the teaching and learning session to be
conducted via online learning as one of the medium of learning. Thus enable online learning to
take place in our education world. Online learning is the use of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) to deliver information for education where instructors and learners are
separated by distance, time, or both in order to enhance the learner’s learning experience and
performance (Keller et al., 2007; Tarhini et al., 2016). It can’t be denied that online learning has
brought great help in education world.
The uses of online learning have gradually become popular in our country due to the
advantages and effectiveness that it brings toward the education. The advantages are further
highlighted during the time of crisis that or when faced with any barrier that halt the normal face
to face learning interaction. However, despite the advantages that it brings. There are still some
underlying issues and challenges faced by learners in using online learning. It has become
evident especially in terms of the effectiveness and readiness in using online learning as medium
of instruction. Despite the benefits that brought by using the online learning, it is still not enough
to support the teaching and learning process as conducted in face-to-face interaction. Orlando
and Attard (2015) stated that “teaching with technology is not a one size fits all approach as it
depends on the types of technology in use at the time and also the curriculum content being
taught” (p. 119).
Many studies have highlighted the effectiveness of using online learning in education.
Some of these studies employed Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. Thus, the researchers
have decided to employ CoI framework in the oncoming study. Hence, this conceptual paper
consists of a brief overview on the development of the CoI framework which stemmed from the
Online Collaborative Learning Theory (OCL). The following subsection also provides related
past studies. Finally, a discussion of the intended study is also included.
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 From Online Collaborative Theory to the Community of Inquiry (COI) Framework
For decades, the advantages and effectiveness of using online learning in education word
have been constantly study. In 2012, the OCL derived from the original Collaborative Learning
theory and later was further developed by Linda Harasim, a professor at the school of
Communication at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. The proponent focuses on building
the theory based on the internet related facilities to provide learning environment that build
collaboration and knowledge building. Harasim (2012,p.81) stated that her OCL theory is “ a
new theory of learning that focuses on collaborative learning, knowledge building, and internet
use as a means to reshape formal, non-formal, and informal education for the Knowledge Age”.
The theory suggested that knowledge construction consist of three phases which are idea
generating, idea organizing and intellectual convergence. It also emphasizes on the importance of
teachers’ roles toward the learners’ knowledge construction. The OCL theory also build based on
the concept of social constructivism since its encourage the learners to collaboratively solve
problems through discourse. According to the key proponent Harasim (2012,p.90), learners are
encouraged to work together to create knowledge: to invent, to explore ways to innovate and by
doing so, to seek the conceptual knowledge needed to solve problems rather than recite what
they think is the right answer. Throughout the years, there are many study had been conducted on
online collaborative learning theory such as online collaborative learning framework (Mhouti et
al. 2016; Alzahrani et al. 2016) and online collaborative learning system (Alamri & Cristea
2016).
OCL have been practice globally, many researches have been conducted in Malaysia that
focused on the aspects of the application of OCL in the online learning available in our country.
This resulted in other studies being conducted to create and test the CoI framework. The
following paragraphs provide an explanation on how CoI framework is developed by Garrison
and his colleagues. Garrison, Anderson and Archer (1999) have proposed a CoI model for
educational developers to assist in the organization of online and blended educational
experiences. Their aim was to support the critical thinking, critical inquiry and discourse among
learners and teachers.
2.2 The Development of the CoI Framework
In 2000, Garrison et al began to introduce the CoI framework. The creation and
development of CoI framework were grounded by John Dewey’s view of practical inquiry where
he believed that individual development was dependent upon community. The word
“community” which frequently use in educational research is often refers to the cognitive or
emotional connections that established between physically and separated learners. Community
when put together with the term of online environment can be said as the process of sharing
knowledge among the online learners. This is supported by Wang, Laffey and Poole (2001)
whose argued that “community can result from shared knowledge among online learners, and
this online community is especially important”. Rovai (2000) stated, “strong feelings of
community increase the flow of information, the availability of support, commitment to group
goals, cooperation among members, and satisfaction with group efforts” (p. 286).
CoI is grounded based on a specific philosophical and epismetological assumptions and
learning theories (Garrison, in press). The CoI framework represents a process of creating a deep
and meaningful collaborative - constructivitist learning experience through the development of
three interdependent elements as shown in Figure 1. Garrison et al (2000) stated that “The CoI
framework highlighted three core elements which are cognitive presence, social presence and
teaching presence in which the three presences are used to create a meaningful educational
experience”. Therefore, in order to provide an effective inquiry process and achieve higher order
learning, all three presences must be developed in balanced (Akyol & Garrison, 2008).

Figure 1: The Community of Inquiry Framework

The past results of the CoI research conducted for a decade has provided the empirical
evidence that the CoI framework represents a coherent set of articulated elements and respective
models describing a higher learning experience applicable to wide range of learning
environments derived from face-to-face to online learning, from K-12 to higher education. Those
researches helped to provide means to understand and explore the relationship among the
elements and learning.
Next, among all the three interdependent presences that exist in the framework, social
presence plays vital roles in creating a purposeful learning community in order to support the
critical inquiry. Anderson, Rourke, Garrison and Archer (2001) stated that “Within the
community of inquiry model, social presence was initially defined as the ability of learners to
project themselves (i.e., their personal characteristics) socially and emotionally, thereby
representing themselves as “real” people, in a community of inquiry”. In learning through online
platform, establishing relationships and a sense of belonging within the online learners is
important. In term of CoI framework, social presence means to create an environment that
supports and encourages probing questions, skepticism, expressing and contributing to ideas.
Garrison (2009) has also stated that “social presence has been revised as the ability of
participants to identify with the group or course of study, communicate purposefully in a trusting
environment, and develop personal and affective relationships progressively by ways of
projecting their individual personalities”. The revised definition suggests that social presence
should be developed naturally and progressively through the purposeful and collaborative
inquiry process (Garrison 2011).
The development of these three presences over time raises the issue of the dynamic of
social presence. Theoretically, it was predicted that open communication will be high at the
beginning and diminish slightly over time while group cohesion and interpersonal indicators will
increase (Garrison 2011). The research conducted by Shea, Hayes, Vickers et al (2010) found a
link that a rose or fall in student social presence with the rise and fall of instructor teaching
presence. The research confirms the interrelatedness of the CoI elements.
The importance of learner–learner and learner–teacher interaction in online education is
well documented (Cherney, Fetherston & Johnsen 2018; Hrastinski 2008; Salmon 2004). In
particular, the formation and cultivation of a community is often explored in work around
interactions between learners (Zydney, deNoyelles & Kyeong-Ju Seo 2012). Interactivity in
learning objects has also emerged as a key contributor to engagement and learning gain (Delen,
Liew & Willson 2014) but more recently the community-building impact of all three of these
interactions – with peers, with teachers and with learning materials – has received more attention
(Costley, Hughes & Lange 2017; Luo, Zhang & Qi 2017). This ties directly into core elements of
the CoI framework, namely, social presence, teaching presence and cognitive presence
(Garrison, Anderson & Archer 2010).
3.0 Learners’ Challenges in Online Learning
One of the most affecting factors that influence learners’ usage of online learning is their
motivation. Motivation is defined as ‘the process whereby goal-directed activities are instigated
and sustained’ which highlights that motivation is a process that focuses on goal and is related to
the initiation and continuation of activity directed at achieving the goal (Cook & Artino 2016).
According to Tan et al. (2014), motivation is an important element that affects human behaviour
and performance. One with motivation tends to have higher achievement while one with little or
no motivation usually has lower achievement. Educational researchers also viewed that
motivation is one of the most important factors in pupil achievement (Alkış2015; Aluçdibi &
Ekici 2012; Guay et al. 2010; Pintrich 2003; Pintrich & Schunk 2002) as cited in Karadağ
(2017). Motivation allows learners to push themselves in order to achieve their goals in the
learning process. There are three factors that make a difference in learners’ motivation in online
learning, namely communication, academic confidence and technological confidence.
Teaching is basically an interactive act that involves communication between teachers
and learners where teachers are the ones who deliver messages and learners give responds or
voice out ides and teachers provide feedback. Communication and interaction are considered as
crucial elements in online learning (Gilbert et al. 2015). There are three types of interaction,
namely learner-content interaction, learner-instructor interaction and learner-learner interaction
(Moore 1989). The most common type of interaction used in online learning is learner-material
interaction while learner-instructor and learner-learner interactions are lacking. However, both
interactions between learners with learners and learners with teachers play vital role in the
process of teaching and learning. The participants in the research noticed that there was a
difference in interactions between learners which they lost the opportunity to learn more from
their peers (Gilbert et al. 2015). Communication and interaction in the classroom provide a lot of
learning experiences and learners miss them for learning individually online.
 Besides that, social support is also another influencing factor that affects learners’
motivation in online learning. School climate and the sense of community leave an impact on the
learners’ performance. According to Anderson (1982, as cited in Rovai et al. 2005), it is
suggested that a positive school climate improves learners’ outcomes such as their cognitive and
affective outcomes. As stated in Astin’s (1984) theory, limitation of involvement in school life
decreases learners’ satisfaction of school experience and learners’ persistence. Learners feel
isolated from peers as a result of online learning and can have a negative impact in their learning.
It is proved that low persistence rates of online course were an effect of lacking community and
social connectedness in online learning environment (Gilbert et al. 2015). As compared to the
learning environment in school, online learners tend to have a weaker sense of belonging and
connectedness.
Teachers’ instruction is important in the teaching and learning process. Clear explained
instructions help learners in carrying out and completing the tasks. Instructions given in online
learning were either not clear enough or too lengthy. A respondent in the research mentioned that
the assignment was not comprehensible and he had to ask frequently (Koh et al. 2017). On the
other hand, lengthy instructions made learners with low reading abilities difficult to understand
(Gilbert et al. 2015). Thus, it decreased the learners’ motivation to learn through online learning.
Moreover, there was also lack of immediacy in interaction between learners and instructors
(Bentz, D. T., & Lazarevic 2015). When facing learning difficulties online, learners felt being
isolated where they could not get extra assistance from the instructor when necessary (Gilbert et
al. 2015). It may make learners stuck at certain task and consequently slow in learning progress.
Due to distance learning, it was more important for learners to get communication and timely
responses (Tichavsky et al. 2015). However, learners faced trouble in receiving immediate
feedback from instructors and some received no response (Mathew & Iloanya 2016). This
resulted in challenging to proceed with learning process and hence decreased learners’
motivation.
On top of that, academic confidence also has an impact in learners’ motivation in using
online learning. Learners who had inadequate writing skills voiced that they had challenges to
express their ideas clearly (Koh et al. 2017). As for online learning, instructors and learners
interacted with each other mainly through written communication which may cause
misunderstandings if ideas were not able to be conveyed correctly. Oral communication indeed is
a better and more effective way of interaction as it is easier to be explained. On top of that,
learners are not able to ask for clarification from the teachers and hence decrease their
motivation in using online learning. Therefore, learners must have adequate skill, speed and
accuracy in writing (Koh et al. 2017).
Furthermore, learners’ technological confidence is also an issue when adopting online
learning. Learners must also have confidence in using online learning platform to have
motivation to use online learning. According to Mathew & Iloanya (2016), technophobia is a
problem faced by most learners and instructors due to inadequate of 21 st technology skills.
Learners’ skills and experience in using technologies affects their attitudes towards online
learning. Learners who are not equipped with skills and experience in using technologies may
refuse to use online learning as they are not prepared to adopt it. Mathew & Iloanya (2016) also
elaborated that technological barriers due to lack of skills increase learners’ anxiety and
demotivation for online learning. Learners with little knowledge may refuse to use online
learning as they may find it difficult to use it.
 Technology is seen as an important challenge that may affect the successful
implementation of e-learning (Aldowah et al. 2018). In this era of technology, online learning is
considered as an important tool for learning, however we encounter numbers of problems when
using online medium for learning. We can divide the technology challenges into internet access
challenge and digital devices challenge. Lacking of internet access and slow internet connectivity
are the first and foremost challenges faced by the learners when dealing with online learning. In
Malaysia, not all the areas have equal access to the internet especially in the rural areas and
therefore creates a ‘digital divide’ phenomenon. According to Warschauer (2011), the digital
divide refers to social stratification due to unequal ability to access, adapt, and create knowledge
via use of ICT. We can see the gap through the survey from Malaysian Communications and
Multimedia Commission (2018) where urban users made up for 70.0% of internet users, while
rural users only accounted for 30.0%. The unequal access to the internet for the rural learners
has caused them to be outdated in terms of the knowledge of ICT and even the latest news from
all over the world. Besides that, due to the limited funding available and the expansion of the
universal service projects to cover other underserved communities and rural areas, funding and
support would normally stop after a stipulated time period, usually 5 to 10 years (Dahalin et al.
2017). Therefore, we can say that it is difficult or a low opportunity for the rural areas’ learners
to use internet for online learning purpose although the government has put a lot of efforts in this
area.
Furthermore, internet access is not reliable, always facing challenges such as slow
internet or limited availability of internet (Mathew & Iloanya 2016) cause online learning a
barrier for learners. World Bank Group (2018) stated that Malaysia has slower download speeds
than most advanced economies. In ASEAN region, in the mobile internet category, Malaysia’s
internet connection is slower compared to the other less developed countries such as Lao PDR,
Myanmar and Vietnam. Most of the youngsters nowadays own a mobile phone each and they
mostly use mobile data to access the internet either for social networking or online learning thus
slow mobile internet connection has less usage in online learning. When the demand is high and
the increase use of internet, the slower the connection especially in this Movement Control Order
(MCO) period. All the learners use the internet to attend courses or classes, hand in their works,
look for information, as well as having a meeting and many more resulting slower internet
connections. People in city enjoy faster internet compared to those who live in less developed
areas where an English teacher from Kedah said that he has tried using Google Meet but it was
not easy and some parents even had to go out to the main road to get internet access (Anon
2020). Many of the learners do are not provided with strong internet connection thus they fail to
catch up with the online learning lesson.
Digital devices also play an important role in online learning session. In Southeast Asia,
many learners’ access to computers is limited to school-provided computer labs (Nuurrianti
2020) and they do not have computers or laptops at home. For some families, there is only one
mobile phone for common uses. The children in lower-income households are less likely to have
a device at home with which they can access the internet (Gong 2020). When the parents are out
from home, the learners will have no digital devices for them to carry out online learning. On the
other hand, many of the learners found the affordability of internet as a major concern for online
learning (Mathew & Iloanya 2016). According to a survey done by World Bank Group (2018),
Malaysian consumers pay more than consumers in most other ASEAN countries for similar
mobile and fixed broadband plans. They have to pay US$1.18/GB while Myanmar consumers
have to pay only US$0.87/GB. The high rate plan and low affordability is considered as a burden
for the low income family and thus affects the learners’ access to education.
21st century has now partly transformed from physical learning to online learning where
textbooks and learning materials are replaced with e-books, Google Classroom, Quizizz and
others. The teachers conduct their lessons and assign tasks as well as provide feedback in the
virtual classroom and this requires teachers to acquire relevant technological skill to deliver the
e-learning lessons. The learners faced challenges when the teachers do not acquire enough
pedagogical skill which includes the strategies used to teach effectively. Mathew & Iloanya
(2016) mentioned that some lecturers also found it difficult to create formative tests on the
learning platforms used. This is because technology is changed rapidly and the teachers need
continuously update and courses to fill themselves up with all the old and new learning
platforms. Online learning is a non-face-to-face learning where the teachers have to adapt and
adopt various teaching strategies to arouse the learners’ attention to learn. Technophobia is
another common case faced by the teachers in schools. Many of the elder teachers do not feel
comfortable using ICT or computers while younger teachers show more enthusiasm in using
ICT. Some teachers have technophobic tendencies because of their lack of computer experience,
lack of ICT-integration in the curricula and their perception of the usefulness of ICT-resources
(George & Ogunniyi 2016). When this situation happens, learners have less opportunities to
expose to more creative and innovative ways of online learning styles therefore the school
administration or the teachers themselves has to equip with all the ICT skills needed.
4.0 The Proposed Study
The significance of online learning has become a requirement in Malaysian education
system for learners in tertiary level as well as secondary and primary learners in urban areas.
Unfortunately, Malaysian learners in rural areas specifically do not have a solid foundation for
online learning. They are struggling to be included in the online learning due to lack of sources
such as not having laptops, computers or smartphones, limited internet access and no proper
guide to upskill themselves in using certain online learning platforms such as Google
Classrooms, Google Drive and other mediums. For this group of learners, due to lack of funds
and infrastructure, they cannot optimise online learning experience even whilst in school. The
traditional face-to-face lesson in the classroom is the only platform they have come to know in
order to learn.
In this advanced digital revolution era of online learning, the change pecking order model
of instructing and learning model goes up against two significant issues; the first is the issue of
having overseen learning through discontinuous association, which means responsibility
regarding their own advantage in and learning by having framework follow and oversee learning.
The subsequent issue is cross stage arrangement which states that all learners approach all
materials free of specific framework inclinations.
Malaysia, for example, IPTAs today are prepared to address the issues of online learning
as a model for instructing and learning. The vast majority of them have their own learning
management system (LMS) and ground Wi-Fi. The clients of broadband in Malaysia are quickly
expanding. This has been proven by a survey conducted from 2016 to 2018 by the Malaysian
Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) that the percentage of internet users in
Malaysia had shown a significant rise in number from 76.9% to 87.4%. In addition, majority of
the users are among young people who shared educational content. However, student availability
to submit time for online learning, order and enthusiasm for online learning just as their
uneasiness in whether capability acquired by means of online learning will be perceived.
There are a number of surveys completed to distinguish basic achievement factors in
online learning. Anstey and Watson (2018) emphasised that a successful online learning can be
measured by following the basic rubric for online learning tool evaluation to be the functionality,
accessibility, technicality, mobile design, privacy and data protection rights, social presence,
teaching presence, and cognitive presence . There are various studies that point out difficulties
and issues in executing online learning. It was revealed that online learning would fall flat for the
accompanying reasons such as being excessively aspiring regarding wanted results for the
spending plan and time accessible, utilising specific data technology for the wellbeing of their
own, without adequate respect for a proper learning plan, no adjustment in the appraisal of
figuring out how to suit the changed learning results, commencing programming advancement
without sufficient arranging and failure to get ready learners for cooperation in learning
encounters, for example, working in gatherings (Alexander & McKenzie 1998) as cited by
Navaneedhan & Kamalanabhan (2015)
So as to guarantee the web based learning exercises should be possible easily; one has to
guarantee the internet facilities are working appropriately and proficiently to provide learners'
interest inside the foundation itself. This is in accordance with Ngampornchai and Adams (2016)
overview, where one of the components on how advanced education foundations prevail in
internet-upheld learning is most firmly associated with their consistency and availability of
internet.
Based on the previous studies on the related topic, the researchers are proposing to
observe the effectiveness/challenges of online learning based on the CoI framework which
covers the three main elements which are social presence, cognitive presence and teaching
presence. Then, it will investigate whether primary learners could profit by online learning and
look at the potential difficulties and disadvantages of online learning according to the mentioned
elements.
The study will be adapting a research method conducted by Damm (2016) which
incorporate the mixed methodology in order to obtain a more objective, genuine and deeper
feedback from learners with actual experience of online learning. Mixed method is a research
technique to unveil a complex issue that needs to be perceived from both quantitative and
qualitative approaches (Ponce & Maldonado, 2015). The questions will be constructed based on
the research objectives which are;
1. To address the challenges arise during online learning with the implementation of CoI
framework
2. To decide whether there are procedures that make learners progressively effective in an
online learning condition
Conducting a traditional surveying by distributing forms to the students enrolled in the
selected schools. Although the researcher will also be interviewing the respondents, their identity
will remain anonymous for their gender and age. The research will be conducted in Malay
language and English language, depending on the respondents’ preference for the purpose of
reliability and validity. Information will be found for this study through a questionnaire that was
distributed to the students enrolled in the school and the interviews conducted there.
 To ensure that research objective is fulfilled, the survey study will be constructed based
on the standardised questionnaire proposed by Garrison, Anderson, Archer (2000) and perfected
by Arbaugh et al. (2008). The items included are focusing on the three main categories in the CoI
Framework which covers various major aspects in online learning.

Elements Categories Indicators (examples only)

Design & Defining and initiating discussion
Teaching Organisation topics
Presence Facilitation Sharing personal meaning
Direct instruction Focusing discussion
Affective expression Emotions
Social Open
Risk-free expression
Presence communication
Group cohesion Encouraging collaboration
Triggering event Sense of puzzlement
Cognitive Exploration Information exchange
Presence Integration Connecting ideas
Resolution Applying new ideas

Table 4.2.1.1: Community of Inquiry Survey Instrument, Garrison et al. (2008)

The interview questions will be designed to cover every category in the CoI survey
instrument in order to get better insight from the respondents. The questions will allow the
respondents to give further explanations prior to their respond on the open-ended questionnaire.
5.0 Limitations and Suggestions
This paper provides a study on the challenges faced by the learners during online learning
where it is mainly due to self-motivation of the learners and the technology challenges. It is
necessary to find out the solutions to this matter, however there is limited studies focusing on the
effectiveness of online learning in primary and secondary schools in Malaysia. Even though
online learning has been emphasised by the government, very few primary school teachers had
actually implemented it in teaching and learning except when it is really necessary until the
MCO which has started in the end of March.
It is hoped that with this study on the challenges of online learning, the pertinent parties,
especially the teachers should also vary the ways of conveying the lesson to attract the learners’
attention so that they would be more active to take part in online learning as they feel that
learning is meaningful and fun. For example, teachers may use online language game platforms
such as Kahoot! and Quizizz as an assessment to check learners’ mastery of certain topics. In this
way, learners will find it interesting and fully engaged in the learning process and most
importantly, they will have the sense of controlling their pace in learning.
Moreover, not only teachers and learners should be responsible for online learning, but
parents should have taken initiative in providing support and guidance for the young learners as
parents have better opportunities to reinforce learning. Online learning which occurs outside the
classroom especially needs parents’ supervision and assistance as they are the ones that learners
will go to when they face obstacles. Therefore, parents should also be ready to provide guidance
to ease learners’ learning process. This also helps to ensure that learners focus on what they
should be doing instead of visiting other websites. Besides assisting and supervising, parents
should also instill the importance of online learning and motivate the learners to use it frequently.
This study only examined learners’ challenges faced in online learning. However, it is
suggested that further research should also look into teachers’ perceptions towards online
teaching and their challenges faced as teachers are actually the ones who implement online
learning. Investigating both teachers’ and learners’ perceptions will surely contribute to the other
researched on this topic. Additionally, comparison studies on the challenges faced can be done
between learners from rural and urban areas. This is because there is a big gap in infrastructure
accessibility between rural and urban areas. There must be a big difference in the results and
perhaps the pertinent parties will have solutions specifically for their learners.
6.0 Conclusion
Online learning platforms, undeniable have been a tool that has become a necessity more
than a luxury. More than ever, the current situation of lockdown has proven the vitality for online
platforms to be used for education. With the Movement Restriction Act in Malaysia, learners
need access to online platforms to ensure the teaching and learning process does not get
discarded. However, it’s not as simple as it sounds. There is a lot more noteworthy to be found
out about online learning when pondering learners’ points of view, needs, challenges, and wants.
Through the CoI Framework, survey and interview, these concerns can be effectively measured
in improving the curriculum design and implementation. The concept of CoI is proven by other
researchers to be effective in conducting an online learning (Nagel 2012; Damm 2016; Kilis &
Yildirim 2019; Cleveland-Innes et al. 2019) because of its specification such as Teaching
Presence, Social Presence and Cognitive Presence which are vital in learning. Limited studies
concerning online learning challenges faced by primary school learners in Malaysia are found
where mostly are conducted for secondary school learners. Teachers’ perception on online
learning should also be examined in future study. Further researches need to be carried out to
answer questions like how teachers and peers can help learners in online learning. Since the
application of this particular framework in Malaysia is still very limited, this study is hoping to
help educators to be more aware of conducting online lesson to ensure the learners are getting
positive experience.
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