Instructional Communication Competence and Instructor Social Presence: Enhancing Teaching and Learning in the Online Environment

Download or read book Instructional Communication Competence and Instructor Social Presence: Enhancing Teaching and Learning in the Online Environment written by Sherwyn Morreale and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2024-05-16 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The coronavirus pandemic mandated unexpected 'instant transitions' to remote learning and accelerated student demand for online courses. As a result, colleges and universities in the U.S. and around the world began and have continued to expand their online courses and degree programs. The online learning industry is projected to pass $370 billion by 2026 and one third of post-secondary school administrators indicate they will continue to offer both remote and online course options even after their campuses completely resume offering in-person, face-to-face courses. Students have demonstrated there is an increased demand for online courses as well. A national survey of 1,413 students, registered at U.S. higher education institutions in fall 2020 and spring 2021, said their experiences with learning remotely during the pandemic left them with a positive attitude toward online and hybrid courses. This increased interest calls attention to the need for more scholarly examination of online teaching and learning.