This study investigated the role of Socially Relevant Representations in learning. In particular I looked at the effects of Authorial Presence and Question & Feedback prompts on Learning, perceptions of Social Presence, and Interaction Level. Social Attunement was investigated as an exploratory individual difference variable for its possible moderating effects. Neither Authorial Presence nor Question & Feedback prompts significantly affected higher- or lower-order learning. Social Presence, however, did emerge as a predictor of Learning, and was significantly influenced by Authorial Presence. Study participants’ relative Social Attunement did not moderate the influence of Authorial Presence and Question & Feedback prompts on Learning.

In the context of a self-directed online learning setting with no available peers or instructor with whom to communicate, this data suggests that lesson materials imbued with Socially Relevant Representations such as Authorial Presence and Question & Feedback prompts, were not enough to improve student learning over lesson materials lacking such features. This study stopped short of addressing the ramifications of increased Authorial Presence in broader educational contexts, but it is an area that merits further research, especially in self-directed learning settings where author presence is traditionally limited.