Share Paper: Four Perspectives, One Goal: Creating Communities for Online Learners

  1. Rhonda Newton, Texas A&M University, United States
  2. Ambyr Rios, Texas A&M University, United States
  3. Radhika Viruru, Texas A&M University, United States
Thursday, October 18 11:50 AM-12:10 PM Las Vegas Ballroom 3

Abstract: Online learning is proliferating the educational landscape due to demands such as flexibility and cost effectiveness. However, though enrollment in distance education courses continue to rise, there is still a high level of attrition. To remediate this situation, best practices in online course delivery and design should be adhered to. These practices involve social, cognitive, and teaching presence, community building, and effective instructional design. Fully integrating tools that support these best practices tends to be a journey fraught with obstacles from the system and bureaucratic level down to the faculty and student level. In this presentation, four different perspectives will ...