Learning with Invisible Others: Perceptions of Online Presence and their Relationship to Cognitive and Affective Learning

This study investigated the relationship between student perceptions of others in an online class and both affective and cognitive learning outcomes. Data were gathered from student survey responses and instructor evaluation of performance. Results from this study indicated significant correlations between student perceptions of the presence of other students in the class and scores on an attitudes scale and their satisfaction with their own learning. This finding demonstrates the salience of other students in the learning environment to affective learning outcomes. Perceptions of the instructor’s presence were significantly correlated with both affective learning and with student learning satisfaction. This outcome in an online class is consistent with findings on teacher immediacy literature in traditional classes and highlight the role of the teacher in establishing a learning environment. Results relative to cognitive learning showed that student reports of their perception of their own presence in the class were significantly correlated with performance in the class and with the grade they would assign themselves.