For more than 30 years, researchers have conducted diverse and extensive studies on the importance of social presence in learning communities, including both online and face-to-face contexts. This article will examine past elements and introduce more current examples. Online learning settings are certainly flexible. These settings offer a viable way to reduce the need to travel to attend face-to-face classes while allowing students to participate in classes that fit their comfort zone. Emergency remote teaching (ERT) is often an uncharted and temporary solution brought forth by urgent circumstances. The goal is to give temporary access to instruction for stakeholders. When instructors outline social presence objectives, they can highlight the importance of collaboration within online structures. Furthermore, by increasing social and emotional well-being, educators allow their learners to express their feelings within the learning community. Teacher immediacy, which involves nonverbal and casual communication techniques, must be nurtured through warmth, understanding, and kindness to adhere to a convivial online community. Important aspects to consider in this comparison are different in-home learning situations, facility for student involvement, ease of learner contribution, and possibilities for achievement. Factors of circumstance and the degree of isolation must be taken into consideration within ERT. The transition to ERT requires easy internet access, communication and lecturing software, as well as basic technological skills for those involved.
In online teaching and learning, the rubric serves as a guide for both the K-12 instructor and student to identify the key aspects of the skill or assignment the rubric addresses. It is especially helpful for the instructor who was not involved in developing the course. A well-formed analytic, single-point, or holistic rubric is a facilitator of reliability and metacognition. This article provides practical guidance needed to effectively design a well-formed rubric in the K-12 classroom.
Podcasts offer unique advantages that complement traditional digital learning methods. Their audio format makes them highly accessible, enabling learners to engage with content anytime and anywhere, whether during a commute, workout, or downtime. In an era where personalized and flexible learning experiences are increasingly valued, podcasts provide a medium that caters to diverse learning preferences and schedules. Moreover, their conversational tone and storytelling approach foster a sense of connection, making complex topics more relatable and easier to grasp. By integrating podcasts into eLearning environments, educators can enhance learner engagement, accessibility, and retention, making them an indispensable asset for modern education.
This article briefly reviews remote testing, focusing on higher education contexts. Following a brief introduction, the article introduces the benefits and challenges of remote testing. Moreover, several tools and platforms that can be used in remote testing have also been briefly discussed, focusing on their essential characteristics and uses.
This article explores the role of formative assessment in online education, emphasizing strategies that encourage deep engagement and active learning while minimizing reliance on AI-generated content. The authors highlight formative assessment techniques, including reflective exercises, hexagonal thinking, book trailers, concept maps, and arts-based products, among others, that promote critical thinking and higher-order cognitive processes.
