EVOLVEMENTS OF SOCIAL PRESENCE IN OPEN AND NETWORKED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Online social presence has gained attention in the research arena over the past two decades as educators obtained a more complete understanding of how critical it is in online learning. With new learning movements (e.g., open learning, networked learning, open educational resources [OERs], and emerging digital technologies), how should educators reflect these emerging movements on social presence? Should social presence evolve with emerging digital learning movements? What role does social presence play in these emerging movements? Historically, social presence has been examined in more formal learning contexts. Open learning pedagogy, tools, and resources blur the lines between formal learning, nonformal learning, and informal learning. Is social presence always “the higher, the better?" If yes, how high should it be? Should an educator then always facilitate the highest level of social presence? If not, why not? Can social presence become too high, resulting in negative impacts on learning?.