The need for communication competence in the online environment has loomed large, made more apparent by the pandemic. Understandably, an immediate concern centers on instructors and their ability to deliver quality instruction. The authors have another educational mission, though, complementary in nature, involving the students. By designing and…

It is a common belief that engagement and motivation are crucial factors in learning and especially in language learning. In particular, increasing motivation can lead to the mobilization of students' personal, cognitive, emotional and behavioral resources and, consequently to better learning results. As digital technology has become more…

Schools and universities had to quickly adapt to a distance-learning model when the COVID-19 virus became a worldwide pandemic. In response, teachers found alternative ways to deliver course content and also interact with their students one-on-one to help them learn the material. We present here an inexpensive mirror mount for students to use on…

Engaging and motivating learners to successfully complete their studies are crucial elements for the success of distance educators around the world. The researchers' AIM newsletter, which is formatted in accordance with motivational learning theory, has been delivered to first-year learners in economics at Open Polytechnic of New Zealand from 2010…

Effective mentors set clear expectations for their work with the teachers they support. This is a critical step in the process of building trust between mentor and mentee, and it is never more important than when mentors conduct observations of teachers as they engage in classroom instruction. With much teaching now occurring online, mentoring is…

The abrupt pivot to online teaching and learning during the Spring semester of 2020 because of worldwide stay-at-home directives left educators and their stakeholders with few guidelines to enact teaching and learning in online platforms. Network etiquette, coined as netiquette in 1995 by Intel (Hambridge, 1995), established nascent directives…

This article aims to offer one perspective on ways that Lancaster University supported its staff in the rapid shift to online teaching and learning in the midst of a global pandemic. The approach centred around the upskilling of staff, with mixed engagement across the suite of support tools and resources, which can be compared to similar…

Online learning discussion formats provide an opportunity for learners to share their experiences, negotiate meaning, and take ownership of the subject matter. Chat rooms also provide learners with anyplace and real-time ways to participate in academic discussions. Shared understanding occurs when individual experience mediated through group…

Humans are inherently social creatures. Socialization and connection with a learning community is a central aspect of learning. Although cultivating social presence and connectivity may seem like an afterthought compared to other aspects of course design, the truth is that social connection with other learners can be a key factor in a student's…

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought great changes to classrooms and students around the world. As the virus swept into cities and communities, students were swept out of their routines--experiencing many sudden and profound losses. In one urban school district in the United States, elementary students lost the writing communities they had…

Communication tools have been popular in web-based learning systems because of their ability to promote the interaction and potentially alleviate the high dropout issue. In recent years, with the increased awareness among researchers about the individual difference of the students, more and more personalized learning supports have been developed.…

One of the pedagogical benefits that emerged from the pandemic period for adult learners was that teachers, in addition to supporting institutions, were more willing to consider and introduce technological innovations to the learning experience. For 2 years, teachers and institutions had no choice. Unanticipatedly, some of these innovative…

Purpose: Teaching and learning online during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced university instructors to consider online alternatives to the classroom. It is possible to facilitate students' learning in the digital environment in similar ways to the traditional face-to-face classroom. The inclusion of e-guests in the digital learning space presents…

Much research has shown that discussion boards (DBs) in online learning can be as useful as any physical discussion (Prenksy, 2003; Ransdell, 2013). Prenksy was one of the first researchers to emphasize that online learning had to be motivating, just like any other type of learning. Students will only do what they believe will help them learn.…

Given that our current educational context has required many educators to utilize online instruction in some capacity over the past year, the purpose of this paper is to describe how literacy specialists and teachers can use digital tools to remotely engage in data-based decision-making within a collaborative professional learning community.…