Discussions

1. Copy the following text (highlight and ctrl-c on your computer):

Your Name and Title:

Amy Tucker

Graduate Student

School or Organization Name:

 Royal Roads University

Co-Presenter Name(s):

 None

Area of the World from Which You Will Present:

Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

Language in Which You Will Present:

English

Target Audience(s):

Educators and Learners

Short Session Description (one line):

Best practices in e-learning: an online instructor and graduate student’s perspective.

Full Session Description (as long as you would like):

E-learning has become a key factor in higher education around the globe, yet institutions still struggle with the social dynamic relationships between the online instructor and learner. The literature has provided a comprehensive overview of current practices in e-learning that, typically, include the following:  the roles of the instructor and learner, addressing learning styles in an online learning environment, instructional and evaluation methodologies, communication practices, and approaches to instructional design and so on. Although new social media tools and Web 2.0 technologies have increased social interaction opportunities between the instructor and virtual students, learners are not fully grasping and accepting this new highly interactive virtual reality. This presentation explores these issues further.

The purpose of this presentation is to examine the effective practices of e-learning from an online and a graduate student’s perspective. The context of this presentation will focus on a traditional university campus that provides both face-to-face and open learning (online, print design, and blended formats) in western Canada. Specifically, it will provide a literature review, personal observations, and shared examples from online and face-to-face instructors. The findings of this presentation will enable practitioners to increase, strengthen, and enhance social relationships between the learner and the online instructor. Finally, continuing challenges and guidelines for online and face-to-face instructors will be presented and discussed.

Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session: