Creating a Culture of Engagement

Abstract

Many online faculty members pattern their teaching after traditional models of face-to-face instruction. However, these models fail to support meaningful content delivery and interaction in today's online classroom. This chapter discusses faculty development efforts that serve to cultivate effective online teaching practices. Presenting the communication processes and technical skills necessary to create social presence in online and hybrid courses, the chapter equips both novice and experienced instructors with the tools required to redesign traditional courses for online delivery, to deliver quality instruction, and to promote strong interaction. Teaching strategies and adult learning theory are explored. The appropriate use of technology to achieve desired student learning outcomes is also discussed. In addition, instructors' concerns and attitudes towards the implementation of social presence strategies in online learning are examined.