Social Presence and Educational Technologies in an Online Distance Course in Finnish Higher Education – A Social Constructivist Perspective

Abstract

This paper analyses the interplay of social presence and educational technology, from a social constructivist perspective, to question the current determinism prevailing in the literature. Taking an online distance course implemented in Finland as its case, the study reveals how students negotiate the way they share visual cues and personal background and experiences. Thereby, it critically examines the impetus to create more social presence through visual cues and personal information, by highlighting some of the ethical implications. Moreover, the study reveals that text-based online discussions occurring in forums provides more space for students to participate in discussions than webinars, despite being negatively perceived by students. The study also shows how students and instructors’ practices have the potential to re-shape the way technologies are used in online distance education, to eventually reach more equity between students’ and teachers’ presences.