Theory to Practice in Instructional Design

How do online course design features influence student performance?

“…First, theorists and practitioners believe that collaborative work can help build a learning community that encourages critical thinking, problem solving, analysis, integration, and synthesis; provides cognitive supports to learners; and ultimately promotes a deeper understanding of the material (Fulford & Zhang, 1993;Kearsley, 1995;Moore & Kearsley, 1996;Friesen & Kuskis, 2013;Picciano, 2001;Salmon, 2002Salmon, , 2004Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2006;Sherry, 1995). Second, interpersonal interaction may help reduce transactional distance, and strengthen students' psychological connection to the course by enhancing -social presence‖-the degree to which a person is perceived as a -real person‖ in mediated communication (e.g., Gunawardena & Zittle, 1997;Moore, 2013;Shearer 2013;Short, Williams & Christie, 1976;Young, 2006).…”

Cultivating Teachers When the School Doors Are Shut: Two Teacher-Educators Reflect on Supervision, Instruction, Change and Opportunity During the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…It encompasses a multitude of learning platforms, instructional delivery methods, and media to engage students with the content (Keengwe and Kidd, 2010;Salmon, 2011;Moore, 2012;Korhonen et al, 2019). While "technology" itself is often associated with innovation, the literature suggests that as we are moving into the third decade of the 21st-century technology is a critical factor in innovative online learning and related to instructional practices (Salmon, 2011;Moore, 2012;Black, 2013;Shearer, 2013;Arason, 2019). Instructional decisions determine how students will interact with the content and with each other to promote learning (Falloon, 2011;Salmon, 2011Salmon, , 2019Shearer, 2013;Huang et al, 2015).…”

Increasing Interpersonal Interactions in an Online Course: Does Increased Instructor E-mail Activity and a Voluntary In-Person Meeting Time Facilitate Student Learning?

“…Collaborative work, for example, provides cognitive support and encourages critical thinking, problem solving, and deeper learning through the formation of a learning community (Fulford & Zhang, 1993;Kearsley, 1995;Moore & Kearsley, 1996;Friesen & Kuskis, 2013;Picciano, 2001;Salmon, 2002Salmon, , 2004Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2006;Sherry, 1995). Additionally, effective interpersonal interaction can enhance students' sense of "social presence"-the degree to which a person is perceived as a "real person" in mediated communication-and thereby support students' psychological connection to the course (e.g., Gunawardena & Zittle, 1997;Shearer, 2013;Short, Williams, & Christie, 1976;Young, 2006). One meta-analysis examining studies of interaction in online learning environments concluded that increased interpersonal interaction, either with the instructor or other peers, positively affects student learning (Bernard et al, 2009).…”