Promoting and Evaluating Online Learner-Instructor Relationships

• In Event: Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Instructor-Student and Student-Student Interactions in Online Learning Environments

Abstract

Emotions that a learner brings to the learning context can influence engagement, self-regulation, and achievement. Recently, researchers have called for examination on the impact of learner emotions in online learning environments. This study examines how to incorporate learner/instructor relationship aspects in online instruction and promote affective relationships with the learners. Participants enrolled in a college statistics course took a weeklong video-based module covering Normal Distribution. Learner attitudes, learner self-efficacy, learner/instructor relationship, and learning gains were evaluated. The relationship building strategies were found to have positive impacts on learner attitudes and self-efficacy. The inclusion of the relationship building strategies, however, did not influence the learners’ perceptions of the online instructor nor learning gains.

Authors

• Yanghee Kim, Utah State University

• Ryan Burdo, Utah State University

• Tianyu Chen, Utah State University