Temporal Interaction Patterns in Online Learning: A Study Based on the Community of Inquiry Framework in Two Case Studies

This study explores temporal interaction patterns within the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework using Moodle activity logs from two online courses for older adults. Both courses shared identical content and structure, but differed in facilitation: case (a) involved a single instructor (n = 27), while case (b) included peer facilitators (n = 45). A total of 4,276 log entries were analysed as proxy variables for teaching, social, and cognitive presence. These were converted into time series and examined through cross-correlation analysis with a three-day lag. The results sugest that accessing the course guide and attending synchronous sessions are key triggers for cognitive and social engagement. Alternating patterns were also observed between individual content processing and social interaction. These findings provide valuable insights into the temporal dynamics of online learning interactions, particularly for instructional planning and process-oriented research.