An Investigation of Computer-Mediated Instructional Immediacy in Online Education: A Comparison of Graduate and Undergraduate Students’ Motivation to Learn

Abstract

For more than 30 years, instructors have relied on instructional immediacy to inspire motivation for learning in students. However, the introduction of online classes has eliminated the utility of many of the previously used cues of instructional immediacy. Previous studies in instructional immediacy displayed through computer-mediated communication (CMC) have made the assumption that verbal displays of instructional immediacy are still perceived as immediate when displayed through CMC. This study first explores the role of instructional communication in the online classroom by validating findings of previous research that instructional immediacy is positively related to student learning by measuring instructional immediacy though indicators that are unique to CMC. Second, this study compares the effectiveness of computer-mediated instructional immediacy and motivation between graduate and undergraduate students. Finally, the predictive power of student motivation and instructional communication are examined in relation to learning loss in the online classroom. The findings of this study imply that, although computer-mediated instructional immediacy has a more substantively significant effect on undergraduate students than graduate students, instructional communication plays a strong role in learning outcomes in the online environment.

Speech Anxiety in the Communication Classroom During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Supporting Student Success

“…Scholarship about instructional communication, computer mediated communication and online education (Kelly and Fall, 2011) offers valuable insights into effective practices and adaptations as we intentionally craft engaging and supportive spaces, so our students feel empowered to use their voice and share their story, even those with high speech anxiety. Instructional communication scholars focus on the effective communication skills and strategies that promote and support student success and an engaged learning environment (Simonds and Cooper, 2011).…”

Successful Strategies to Engage Students in a COVID-19 Environment

“…Personalized communication (where plausible) is preferred and should continue throughout the entire semester to enhance social presence. Above all, it is critical that students receive messages from the instructor that addresses them by name; this both directly increases students' motivation to engage with subject material and indirectly decreases their classroom anxieties through perceived immediacy (Kelly and Fall, 2011;Kelly and Westerman, 2016). Instructors should consider all communication with students through the lens of that message's potential impact on perceived immediacy and rapport (Culpeper and Kan, 2020).…”

Articulated dissent and immediacy: a cross-national analysis of the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns

“…The leader–member exchange theory explains that supervisors’ communicative methods and the channels through which they communicate also influence their superior–subordinate relationships (Graen and Scandura, 1987). Communication characterized by support signals high-quality relationships (Kassing, 2000b), and one way to display support is by using immediate behaviors, as those behaviors can decrease perceived physical and psychological distance if perceived as intended by the audience (Kelly and Westerman, 2014).…”

“…it has been noted that when instructors communicating with students use the computer-mediated immediate behaviors of signing e-mails, addressing students by name, communicating in a timely manner, inviting further communication and using emojis, students are often more motivated and perceive the instructor to be more caring (Vareberg and Westerman, 2020). Supervisor use of emojis in the workplace has also been found to induce perceived immediacy with subordinates (Kelly and Autman, 2015), which is critical, as perceived immediacy with supervisors increases subordinates’ loyalty to the company and reduces subordinates’ burnout (Kelly and Westerman, 2014).…”