An Examination of Online Learning in Higher Education

The rapid advancement of online learning in higher education necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the pedagogical perspectives that underpin effective teaching practices. This dissertation offers a holistic exploration of online teaching in higher education through three distinct studies, each employing a different research methodology. The goal of this dissertation is to provide actionable insights for both novice and experienced instructors or instructional designers to enhance their online teaching practices. Chapter One presents an overview of online learning, highlighting its benefits and challenges for learners and instructors. It outlines the frameworks and concepts that contribute to effective online learning, sets forth the statement of the problem, and describes the purpose and structure of the dissertation. Chapter Two presents a grounded theory study that investigates the instructional challenges and opportunities experienced by faculty members during the COVID-19 pandemic's abrupt transition to online teaching. The first study highlights the need for further exploration into humanizing teaching, emphasizing the importance of teaching and designing with compassion. Through a synthesis of the literature (2000-2023) on understanding a sense of belonging, Chapter Three examines the definitions of a sense of belonging and uncovers instructional strategies and tools that are employed to foster a sense of belonging in higher education. The findings offer valuable insights for instructional designers and instructors in developing interactive and engaging online courses, highlighting the importance of establishing meaningful connections with learners. Chapter Four utilizes a quantitative content analysis study to examine teaching presence in an online accelerated Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) course. Analyzing various course materials, this study identifies patterns of teaching presence across three categories—instructional design and organization, facilitating discourse, and direct instruction. The findings reveal that teaching presence extends beyond asynchronous discussions to include different aspects of the online course. This study also underscores the critical role of teaching presence in meeting the needs of learners, particularly non-traditional learners, in an accelerated online course format. Chapter Five presents a summary and synthesis of the three studies, highlighting their implications for practice and identifying areas in need of future research. The dissertation provides insightful observations on effective online teaching practices, underlining the vitality of humanizing teaching, fostering a sense of belonging, and demonstrating teaching presence to enhance online learning experiences for learners.