Relationship between Iraqi EFL Students' Perceptions of Community of Inquiry and their Attention and Engagement in Online Classes

Community of Inquiry is a term that identifies the elements that are essential for the delivery of effective instruction (i.e., teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence). While it has been the subject of many studies in face-to-face settings, less attention has been accorded to it in online classes. This study was an attempt to investigate the relationship between Iraqi English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' community of inquiry and their attention to and engagement in online classes. To this end, 311 undergraduate students were selected from Basrah province in southern Iraq. The Google Form link for the community of inquiry scale as well as the online student engagement scale and sustained attention scale were shared among the participants via telegram and WhatsApp groups. The results of the Pearson correlation revealed that there was a significant relationship among the variables. A linear multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the best predictor of the components of the community of inquiry for students' online engagement in and their attention to online classes. The results showed that social presence contributed more to the changes in learners' engagement in and attention to online classes. The findings of the study can encourage Iraqi EFL teachers to focus on specific aspects of community of inquiry to promote students' engagement and attendance in online classes.