Instructors' Perspectives on Private Interactions Within Online Discussions

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 4
  In Poster Session: Emerging Avenues for Research in Online Learning

Abstract

Pedagogical practices in online learning are influenced by instructors’ perceptions of social and cognitive benefits to student learning. Embedded and situated private communication within discussion threads offers individual engagement with students and supports learning through feedback. In this study, analysis of instructors’ online private interactions with students informed perceptions of how these interactions affected social presence and influenced pedagogical preferences. A mixed methods design was used to collect and analyze the interactions of 291 student and instructor participants of 11 fully online graduate education courses. Four instructors shared their perceptions of the private interaction opportunities, and their various uses of private interactions, highlighting the importance of this feature to providing a safe context for feedback, reassurance, direction, and guidance.

Authors

• Rubaina R Khan, University of Toronto

• Lesley Wilton, York University

• Clare M. Brett, University of Toronto

• Paul C. Alexander, University of Toronto