A Community of Inquiry evaluation of Mekong e-Sim: an online collaborative simulation

Abstract

This paper reflects on the effectiveness of the web-based simulation ‘Mekong e-Sim’ within a ‘Community of Inquiry’ conceptual framework of cognitive, social and teaching presence at higher education level. This role-play simulation project has been developed as a realistic international problem, which emphasises collaboration, cooperation and decision-making. The paper includes an analysis of the asynchronous discussion board activity and student debriefs of 86 Civil and Environmental Engineering students who undertook the e-Sim during 2004. The Mekong e-Sim is already recognised internationally as an innovative and quality learning environment within higher education. This paper further illustrates the extremely high level of discussion board interactivity, and more importantly the high degree of sustained critical thinking and discourse achievable in an e-learning environment.