Relationships between Teaching Presence, Connected Classroom Climate, and Deep Learning within the Rotational Synchronous Teaching Model

The rotational synchronous teaching (RST) model has attracted attention as it can increase the teaching presence and connected classroom climate in multiple synchronous classroom learning environments. This paper presents an investigation of the effects of the relationships between college students’ perception of teaching presence, connected classroom climate, and deep learning in RST. A total of 264 valid data sets were collected from 288 first-year college students. Structural equation modeling was employed, showing that teaching presence and connected classroom climate were both positively related to students’ deep learning. In addition, an indirect effect was identified between teaching presence and deep learning through connected classroom climate. Further analysis showed that the facilitating discourse dimension of teaching presence had a direct effect on the reflective learning dimension of deep learning and connected classroom climate. Moreover, the assessment dimension of teaching presence had a direct effect on higher-order learning and integrated learning dimensions of deep learning and connected classroom climate. Employing connected classroom climate as a mediator, (1) partially mediated the relationships between facilitating discourse and reflective learning, as well as assessment and higher-order learning, and (2) fully mediated the relationships between facilitating discourse and higher-order learning. These findings have practical implications for educators, which can be used to enhance teaching presence and connected classroom climate thus promoting students’ deep learning within the RST model of instruction.