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Use Digital Communication Tools to Enhance Online Communities of Inquiry

October 20, 2016
Description Learning online may be an isolating experience which may lead to student attrition. Digital communication tools may help to enhance online communities of inquiry and address students’ feelings of social connectedness, perceived instructor presence, cognitive engagement, and persistence. Research shows that faculty use of various new media and communication tools (including social media) may…

Use Mobile Communication Technologies to Increase Students’ Feelings of Connectedness and Instructor Support

October 20, 2016
Description Use of mobile communication technology in the higher education setting is still a relatively new area of study. On brick and mortar campuses, students who have face-to-face interaction with their professors and peers can often be seen texting or “tweeting” between classes or in class. Such mobile messaging usage in class can be very…

Use Social Networking Tools to Engage Students in Extended Professional Networks

April 9, 2015
Description A social networking service (SNS) is an online site that focuses on building social relations among people. Through social networking services, such as Facebook and Twitter, people or groups can share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their networks. Besides communicating with family and friends, SNSs can be used to interact with students and…

Use Social Networking Tools to Share with Students Brief Supplemental Content Links and Status Updates Related to Course Work

April 9, 2015
Description Instructors use social networking tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. to interact with students and engage student learning. See the following Innovative Online Teaching Practice video for details on how social networking tools may be implemented in an online course. While the focus is on Twitter, the principles are applicable to other social…