Event Details
Students enroll in online courses for a variety of reasons. However, while asynchronous online courses maybe ideal for many due to the flexibility offered, they can be extremely isolating for students. Research shows that instructor presence: can help create a sense of community within an online course, can build trust between students and the instructor, and can increase student engagement while also increasing academic achievement. Every stakeholder involved in the course creation or facilitation of online learning wants students to feel valued, but getting started can be a daunting process.
Have you ever felt like "just a facilitator" within your course? Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of giving detailed feedback to every student? As an instructional designer, have you ever wondered how to change your design practice to help subject matter experts be more present within the course? If you answered yes to any of these questions, come join us as we discuss seven ways to help increase instructor presence within online courses. These strategies will not only help instructional designers implement ways to increase instructor presence during the course design process, but also ways the instructor can insert themselves into the course in a positive way. This session will also focus on the four attributes of high-quality feedback and how these principles can be implemented within any course, no matter the size.
Hanna Howell, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Alabama in the College of Education and Human Sciences, Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership. Previously, Dr. Howell served as the Assistant Director of Instructional Technology Support Services at the University of Alabama. She is active in the Quality Matters organization as a certified peer reviewer and facilitator for Improving Your Online Course. Her research interests include: business and academic continuity, instructor presence, and use of artificial intelligence tools in the prek-12 classroom.