On-line learning migration: from social learning theory to social presence theory in a CMC environment

Social presence is one of the most significant factors to examine in distance education. The impact of social presence on learning must be examined because of the prevalence of CMC (computer-mediated communication) in education. Many of the studies dealing with social presence on CMC have been done in standard educational settings and organizational settings. None of them have redefined social presence for CMC. This theory must be operationally understood and clearly defined before knowledgeable studies occur. The relationship between social presence and the social learning theory is also examined in this paper. Social interaction is fundamental to the explanation of this relationship. Social learning requires cognitive and environmental determinants. Social presence is required to enhance and foster on-line social interaction, which is the major vehicle of social learning. (C) 2000 Academic Press.