Exploring Cognitive Presence in Online Collaborative Knowledge-Building: Structural, Temporal, and Social Perspectives

Collaborative knowledge-building is an important mode of learning in which students’ cognitive presence has a significant impact on learning outcomes. To better understand how cognitive presence influences collaborative learning, this study applied three complementary analytic approaches: epistemic network analysis, which maps how ideas are connected in discussions; sequential pattern mining, which identifies temporal sequences; and social network analysis, which examines the interaction patterns and roles among group members. Using data from 37 students divided into 8 groups in a university course on academic reading and writing, we compared high-performing groups (HPGs) and low-performing groups (LPGs). The results showed that HPGs demonstrated stronger exploratory, integrative, and problem-solving abilities in their cognitive networks, with members actively exchanging ideas, questioning, and summarizing. In contrast, LPGs relied more on encouragement and reminders to sustain discussions. Furthermore, HPGs displayed more complex and varied behavioral sequences and clearer leadership and facilitation roles within their social networks, whereas LPGs showed simpler and less developed interaction patterns and lacked core members in their networks. These findings provide insights for instructors on how to better design and guide group knowledge-building to enhance online collaborative learning outcomes.