In a case study involving three asynchronous online professional writing courses, this research investigates students' abilities to establish a social presence and build team cohesion via collaborative, team-based writing projects. Using the Community of Inquiry (COI) framework, this study is situated in the understanding that teaching and…

Motivation, belonging, and inclusion are all critical factors for student success but can be difficult to support in asynchronous online courses. Active learning and required group work have been shown to increase student motivation in in-person and synchronous online courses, but little is known about their impact in online asynchronous settings.…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how instructional designers in higher education in the United States described their experiences with collective affective emergent states (team cohesion and collective efficacy) when collaborating with faculty to design online courses. The foundation for the study was the…

Aim/Purpose: The main purpose is to study the experience of using virtual team building as a means of forming educational and research teams in the context of the development of online education and its effect among students and teachers of higher educational institutions. Background: Methods ensuring effective engagement of students in learning…

For nearly 60 years, doctoral student attrition has been a cause for concern (Berelson, 1960; Council of Graduate Schools, 2010; 2015). Studies have shown that approximately 40-70% of doctoral students do not finish their degree, and 20% of those who advance to candidacy do not complete the dissertation phase (Lovelace, 2016). Additionally,…

The advent of COVID-19 and its implication on university education has been the bone of contention in recent times. The COVID-19 emergency has led to a change in knowledge inputs, processes, and outputs. This trajectory has demotivated student approaches to their learning. In response to this revolution, this study provides motivational strategies…

Disruption to the status quo in education erupted from a worldwide pandemic in 2020. COVID-19 pushed university teaching to emergency online teaching. This disruption intersected with a national and international call for racial justice in the US and internationally. Challenges and new learnings emerged as teacher and learners worked to co-create…

Social interaction among learners plays a significant role in online learning environments (Garrison, 2006; Kreijns et al., 2014; Mykota, 2017). The construct of social presence in online courses is important because it influences interaction and connectedness among learners and its effects on their learning outcomes and emotional well-being.…