Use Technology to Engage Students and Create a Stronger Instructor Presence

2021 ◽  
pp. 97-110
Author(s):  
George Hanshaw
Keyword(s):  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Student Attrition ◽  
Teaching Presence ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Technology Tools ◽  
Instructor Presence ◽  
Technology And Design

Technology and design can have a direct impact on instructor presence and the student experience. Technology tools are what allow us to create a strong instructor presence in the online environment. A strong instructor presence helps curtail student attrition and combats feelings of isolation reported by many online students. Instructor presence contains three specific types: social, cognitive, and teaching presence. Technology tools are available to facilitate each type to make a strong overall instructor presence. It is critical to design for instructor presence and support and train instructors to use the tools chosen to create a strong instructor presence. This chapter outlines the importance of creating a strong instructor presence and LAPU-integrated instructor presence into course design.

scholarly journals Instructor Impact on Differences in Teaching Presence Scores in Online Courses

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 55-76
Author(s):  
Holly Fiock ◽  
Yukiko Maeda ◽  
Jennifer C. Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Design ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Community Of Inquiry ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Teaching Presence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Constructivist Learning Environment ◽  
Community Of Inquiry Framework

Using three interdependent constructs: social, cognitive, and teaching presence, the Community of Inquiry framework is a theoretical process model of online learning. Specifically, teaching presence contains three sub-elements—(a) facilitation of discourse, (b) direct instruction, and (c) instructional design and organization—that work together to create a collaborative-constructivist learning environment. Data from the Community of Inquiry survey from 160 learners in 11 course sections were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine whether statistically significant differences existed in teaching presence scores between sections of two online courses with identical course design taught by different instructors. Results showed significant differences between individual instructors’ teaching presence scores for each of the two courses. Specifically, significant differences were found in each sub-element of teaching presence except for one course’s instructional design and organization. Conceptual and methodological explanations of the findings are provided, and implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY OVER TIME IN AN ONLINE COURSE: UNDERSTANDING THE PROGRESSION AND INTEGRATION OF SOCIAL, COGNITIVE AND TEACHING PRESENCE

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zehra Akyol ◽  
D. Randy Garrison
Keyword(s):  
Social Presence ◽  
Community Of Inquiry ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Teaching Presence ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Community Of Inquiry Framework ◽  
Discussion Postings ◽  
Over Time

The purpose of this study was to explore the dynamics of an online educational experience through the lens of the Community of Inquiry framework. Transcript analysis of online discussion postings and the Community of Inquiry survey were applied in order to understand the progression and integration of each of the Community of Inquiry presences. The results indicated significant change in teaching and social presence categories over time. Moreover, survey results yielded significant relationships among teaching presence, cognitive presence and social presence, and students’ perceived learning and satisfaction in the course.

scholarly journals Integrating students’ perspectives about online learning: a hierarchy of factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Montgomery Van Wart ◽  
Anna Ni ◽  
Pamela Medina ◽  
Jesus Canelon ◽  
Melika Kordrostami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Instructional Support ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Teaching Presence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Comfort

AbstractThis article reports on a large-scale (n = 987), exploratory factor analysis study incorporating various concepts identified in the literature as critical success factors for online learning from the students’ perspective, and then determines their hierarchical significance. Seven factors--Basic Online Modality, Instructional Support, Teaching Presence, Cognitive Presence, Online Social Comfort, Online Interactive Modality, and Social Presence--were identified as significant and reliable. Regression analysis indicates the minimal factors for enrollment in future classes—when students consider convenience and scheduling—were Basic Online Modality, Cognitive Presence, and Online Social Comfort. Students who accepted or embraced online courses on their own merits wanted a minimum of Basic Online Modality, Teaching Presence, Cognitive Presence, Online Social Comfort, and Social Presence. Students, who preferred face-to-face classes and demanded a comparable experience, valued Online Interactive Modality and Instructional Support more highly. Recommendations for online course design, policy, and future research are provided.

Using Multimedia for Instructor Presence in Purposeful Pedagogy-Driven Online Technical Writing Courses

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-52
Author(s):  
Heidi S. Harris ◽  
Michael Greer
Keyword(s):  
Course Design ◽  
Technical Writing ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Engaged Learning ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Instructor Presence ◽  
Course Outcomes ◽  
Writing Instructors ◽  
Student Projects

Teaching and composing with multimedia humanizes online technical writing and communication classes. However, students do not always see the connection between multimedia instructional materials, multimedia assignments, and the course learning outcomes. Purposeful pedagogy-driven course design uses multimedia instructional materials to connect assignments, course materials, and assessments with course outcomes. Technical writing instructors can integrate synchronous and asynchronous multimedia elements to address not only the what and why of online technical writing instruction but also the how of multimedia instructional materials. Example multimedia instructional materials and student projects discussed in the article can increase student retention and promote engaged learning.

scholarly journals Experiencing the shift: How postsecondary contract and continuing faculty moved to online course delivery

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Patricia Danyluk ◽  
Amy Burns
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Faculty Position ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Additional Work

The shift to online learning that occurred in March of 2020, created an unprecedented period of intense work for faculty and sessional instructors at the post-secondary level. This shift necessitated courses be adapted under short timelines, new technology be integrated into course design and teaching strategies and assessment methods be adapted for an online environment (Van Nuland et al., 2020). This study examines how sessional instructors, referred to in this chapter as contract faculty, and continuing full-time faculty members delivering the same online courses experienced this shift. While the demands of a continuing faculty position call for balancing of teaching, research and service responsibilities, contract instructors have their own unique stressors (Karram Stephenson et al., 2020). Contract faculty lack job security, are paid by the course and often receive their teaching assignments with short notice. By examining their perspectives on delivering the same courses online, we learn that the shift to online teaching resulted in additional work in order to adapt courses to the online environment, with faculty describing the challenges of balancing the additional work with other responsibilities of their position. Concerns of participants focused on a perceived inability to develop relationships with students in an online environment.

Community, adaptability, and good judgement: Reflections on creating meaningful, sustainable pedagogy in uncertain times

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (January) ◽  
pp. 5-9
Author(s):  
Gary Brown ◽  
Victoria McCall
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Postgraduate Education ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
High Quality

This reflective piece details aspects of pedagogic good practice prompted by our experiences of developing online learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the exceptional circumstances experienced by universities globally, and given the unprecedented challenges continuing to face educators, new, distinctive methods of delivering a high-quality student experience, to tight time constraints were required. We reflect upon our experiences of engaging in COVID-19 planning, drawing from our substantial knowledge of delivering postgraduate education in the online environment, offering three aspects of good practice (establishing community, adaptability, and good judgement), sometimes taken for granted or overlooked, relevant not only in exceptional circumstances but, as we also suggest in the paper, important to university educators seeking to deliver high-quality, sustainable pedagogy more broadly. The aspects of good practice we outline are mutually reinforcing, unlikely in their own right to deliver the beneficial, sustainable outcomes apparent when embedded in combination.

Learning and Satisfaction in Online Communities of Inquiry

2011 ◽  
pp. 23-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zehra Akyol ◽  
D. Randy Garrison
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Community Of Inquiry ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Teaching Presence ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Actual Learning ◽  
Study Student

The purpose of this chapter is to explain the capability of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework as a research model to study student learning and satisfaction. The framework identifies three elements (social, cognitive, and teaching presence) that contribute directly to the success of an e-learning experience through the development of an effective CoI. It is argued that a CoI leads to higher learning and increased satisfaction. The chapter presents findings from two online courses designed using the CoI approach. Overall, the students in these courses had high levels of perceived learning and satisfaction, as well as actual learning outcomes.

Leveraging Teaching Presence in Online Courses

2016 ◽  
pp. 113-137
Author(s):  
Kun Huang ◽  
Sang Joon Lee ◽  
Ashley Dugan
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Inquiry ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Teaching Presence ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Research And Practice

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework has been widely used to guide the research and practice of online courses. In the CoI framework, three essential elements were identified to be critical for a successful online learning experience: social, cognitive, and teaching presences. While the three presences are overlapping and interdependent, teaching presence is known to be key to the creation of a community of inquiry by addressing cognitive and social issues. Starting with an overview of the CoI framework, this chapter mainly focuses on teaching presence and its two dimensions: instructional design and organization and directed facilitation. Specific strategies and examples for each dimension to leveraging teaching presence in a technology-rich online course are presented and described. In addition, a student's learning experience in the course is also shared to provide a student's perspective of the strategies.

Examining the Factors that Influence how Instructors Provide Feedback in Online Learning Environments

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 47-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan S. Conrad ◽  
Nada Dabbagh
Keyword(s):  
Course Design ◽  
Teaching Style ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Delivery Mode ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Online Delivery ◽  
Teaching Online ◽  
Future Behavior ◽  
Feedback Delivery

Feedback is considered to be the bridge between what has been learned and what the student should know. Feedback can correct misconceptions, motivate learners, stimulate deep thinking, and guide future behavior. However, in the online environment instructors must rely upon technologies to deliver feedback to students. To better understand the prompts and processes for online delivery of feedback, a descriptive study of higher education instructors who teach online was conducted to discover what events trigger instructor feedback and what tools the instructors choose to administer this feedback to online students. Results of the study revealed that the chosen feedback delivery mode and method are impacted by an instructor's technology expertise, the class size, and audience composition and assessment type. The study revealed that instructors teaching online have transformed their pedagogy by purposively planning feedback methods into their course design and applying reflective methods into their teaching style.

Instructor Presence in Online Distance Classes

2010 ◽  
pp. 1216-1219
Author(s):  
Janet Lear
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Instructor Presence ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
The Face ◽  
Online Distance ◽  
A Site ◽  
E Mail

Instructor presence are words that call to mind a professor at the front of a classroom lecturing to a room full of students. Today the image associated with instructor presence is quite different. The vision is one of an individual engaged with the student, leading, and mentoring students, and facilitating classes either visibly in the classroom or invisibly in the online environment. Instructor presence is a broad phrase that refers to the instructor’s jobs of structuring and presenting the materials as well as providing feedback and engaging with the student academically through e-mail, by telephone, or by instant messaging either text or video. The roles are different but the outcome is the same, student learning. Gone are the days where the instructor was the center of the class, lecturing and passing along knowledge to students. Because today’s learner is actively involved in the building of new knowledge, learning is more student-focused. As the environment changes, the instructor assumes a variety of roles from designer to facilitator to mentor. The new roles are the same for both instructors in the face-to-face classroom and instructors in the online environment. Instructors for classes in the online environment cannot just compile a site for the class with materials available to the students. Instructors need to have an online presence as they facilitate the class mentoring students, providing activities, encouraging students, and communicating with student on a regular basis.

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