What is Aesthetic Care

This empirical multi-case study explored a diverse group of postsecondary students' experiences with care in computer-mediated discourse (CMD) from their professors. Participants from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds shared their definitions of care and what they perceive to be qualities of a caring professor. Through participant-selected samples of discourse artifacts identified as exhibiting care, computer-mediated discourse analysis (CMDA) was conducted collaboratively by each student participant and the researcher. The CMDA process highlighted several qualities commonly perceived by students as caring within CMD, organized into three themes: invitation, intentionality, and inclusiveness. These three themes of care are presented through six tenets that professors can use as they build awareness and reflectiveness around their discourse to diverse students in blended, hybrid, and online courses.