Integrating Cognitive, Teaching, and Social Presences in Asynchronous Course Design: An Engineering Economy Example

This WIP paper presents the design of an asynchronous Engineering Economy course at The Citadel, structured using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to establish teaching, social, and cognitive presences.Teaching presence was supported through clear weekly objectives, structured lesson design, and direct instruction that fostered coherence and achievement.Social presence was promoted through weekly office hours, group discussions, peer teaching, and regular check-in announcements to build community and continuity.Cognitive presence was encouraged through guided exercises, assignments, case-based projects, and a semester-long assignment divided into six deliverables, providing frequent opportunities for critical thinking, problem-solving, and application.This course structure fostered engagement, motivation, and higher order thinking in authentic contexts, illustrating how the CoI framework can enhance asynchronous engineering education.