Emotional Presence in a Relationship of Inquiry: The Case of One-to-One Online Math Coaching

Emotions have been confirmed to be a critical component of the process of learning. In the online Community of Inquiry theoretical framework, and the recently suggested online Relationship of Inquiry framework, emotions are considered a subsection of social presence. In this study, the concept of emotional presence is examined. This examination occurs within the Relationship of Inquiry framework, developed to analyze one-to-one online coaching. A survey of online coaches and a transcript coding procedure from the online coaching service Math Coach provide the data for the study. The results indicate that a Relationship of Inquiry framework consisting of cognitive, social, teaching, and emotional presence enhances the exploration of one-to-one online coaching settings. The interpretation of these results identifies emotional presence as an essential and distinct part of one-to-one online math coaching.

"The findings support the premises that (1) emotional presence exists in an online Relationship of Inquiry, and (2) emotional presence can be measured outside of social presence. The dataset from the Math Coach program supports the notion that a Relationship of Inquiry framework consisting of cognitive, social, teaching, and emotional presences does enhance the exploration of one-to-one online coaching settings." (Authors, in Conclusions)