Abstract
This chapter showcases how the practices of two teacher educators in an asynchronous, online graduate-level summer course, Advanced Language Arts Methods, humanized the learning experiences of M.Ed Elementary Education majors to promote student success and retention. The chapter begins with a review of the literature and then leads into a description of the context of the students and the course content, practical design plans for online instruction, specific steps of course implementation, and reflection after course completion. The chapter delineates how purposeful planning to humanize the online learning environment can positively impact student performance. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of the limitations of the practices and challenges faced, recommendations for educators and institutions, and the next steps for future practice of humanizing the online course.
TopLiterature Review
Online learning has witnessed substantial growth following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, with widespread school closures, there was an abrupt transition to fully online learning, catalyzing significant expansion in research within this domain. Since so many practitioners were forced into online spaces they had never encountered before, researchers began to examine effective techniques and student and faculty perceptions regarding online teaching and learning. From the research, the discussion of models of interaction in online learning, including effective online teaching and learning practices, student success in online teaching and learning, and humanizing online spaces is delineated below.
Models of Interaction in Online Learning
In higher education, numerous models of interaction occur in online spaces to promote student success in both synchronous and asynchronous settings. Moore’s Model of Interaction is often reflected in the design and implementation of online courses (Moore, 1989). The three interactions include learner-content interaction, learner-instructor interaction, and learner-learner interaction. Learner-content interaction involves the interaction of high engagement between the learner and the instructional materials provided to students, including texts, video links, and other online resources. The next interaction, learner-instructor interaction, refers to the communication between the instructor and the learners in the course. These interactions include emails, video conferencing, feedback, and online discussions. Learner-learner interaction is the third type of interaction, which involves the interaction between students in online spaces. Activities reflected in this interaction include collaborative projects, peer review tasks, and online discussions among peers. Hillman et al. (1994) add a fourth interaction, learner-interface, which reflects the interaction between the students and the learning management system (LMS). The LMS is the platform utilized by the students to access and interact with content, instructors, and peers. These four interactions, working synergistically, lead to effective teaching and learning practices in online settings.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Asynchronous Instruction: Online instruction occurring not at a set time or pace where students engage in the course material, as their own personal schedule allows, according to instructors’ directives and guidance.
Online Learning Environment: The virtual space in which teaching and learning occur.
Learner-Interface Interaction: Interaction between students and the learning management system (LMS) used for accessing course content.
Learner-Learner Interaction: Interaction among students in online settings.
Learner-Content Interaction: Interaction between the learner and instructional materials.
Student Success: Defined as academic achievement through successful acquisition and application of content as evidenced in the completion of course assignments.
Motivation: The genuine level of excitement or passion for both presenting content (instructor) and acquiring content (learner).
Engagement: The quality and quantity of interactions between learner and instructor (examples: attendance in optional meetings, asking questions for further clarification or additional information and resources, timely submission of assignments, and responses to feedback).
Interaction: The communication and conversations, written and verbal, between and among learners and instructors.
Humanizing: Giving character or human qualities to the online learning environment through instructor presence, resources, and assignments to make the virtual space feel safe, welcoming, and inviting.
Learner-Instructor Interaction: Communication and engagement between the instructor and students in the online course.