Training Faculty to Motivate Adult Learners Through Best Practices in Online Pedagogy

Abstract

Online teaching can be intimidating to faculty, and most educators new to online teaching do not have the knowledge necessary to create and flourish a community of learners who are active, engaged, and collaborative. Students need adequate support to be motivated and take responsibility for their learning in online learning environments and authentic learning experiences and assessment tools are integral to this process. Yet, most novice online course instructors don't understand how to translate these kinds of active learning experiences to online course environments. This chapter will go in depth with effective online instructional techniques to help train faculty to motivate online learners through best practices in online pedagogy. Topics include creating a welcoming course environment, creating and moderating engaging course discussions, creating assignments and giving meaningful feedback, motivating students to achieve, and motivating students to work with integrity and academic honesty.