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Authenticity and connection online

Authenticity and connection online - The impact of exploring the psychological aspects of online learning on engagement and a sense of belonging for students and staff

Gillian Proctor (School of Healthcare)

Project Overview

This project is about how the online environment shapes our self-awareness and relating to others: our authenticity, identity, sense of connection, engagement, belonging and consequent ability to learn. Factors such as telepresence (Turkle 2004), self-consciousness (of own image), unnatural frontality, bonding and body visibility, implications of no videos on trust and engagement, the online disinhibition effect, abrupt transitions, the blurring of public and private space and digital inequalities are crucial to navigate in ways which promote inclusion and belonging for all students and staff.

This project will research the application of these factors to online learning environments to support staff to develop pedagogically informed digital practices and facilitate students’ learning.

Key Findings

  • Co-researchers were overwhelmingly positive about their participation, reporting enjoying the groups, feeling involved in the creation of the research output and reporting that participation had changed their practice in online learning and teaching.
  • The biggest recommendation was to set explicit expectations for online learning culture and how to use synchronous sessions to best promote active learning and engagement.
  • A student protocol for online synchronous learning was developed to set out expectations and explain pitfalls.
  • A sway for educators gives suggestions for best practice in the areas of designing the curriculum, facilitating student engagement and addressing inequalities online.
  • Relating and active learning online in synchronous sessions are certainly possible and different from face-to-face learning. If these differences are explored and acknowledged, this will maximise the potential of this setting.

Implications for Practice

  • A sway has been developed for educators to think about their practice and get tips for designing synchronous online sessions to maximise student engagement. This particularly focuses on design of synchronous sessions and how to promote active learning for students with discussion. See sway.
  • A protocol has been devised for students and educators for synchronous online learning. This set up structures to maximise engagement and learning, such as avoiding distractions, including breaks and transition activities and thinking about camera and device set up in advance. See online learning protocol template
  • University leaders need to consider the resource implications for synchronous online learning, with respect to geographical spaces on campus, preparation time, student and educator support and addressing digital inequalities.
    • Private, sound-proof spaces are needed for educators and students to access these virtual learning environments, both for attention and confidentiality.
    • Educators need workload time to prepare a coherent curriculum for online courses to integrate synchronous discussion time within other resources, lectures and discussion boards.
    • Laptops with webcams and headphones need to be available on loan for students.
    • Wifi access needs to be predictably good across campus, in student residences and dongles available for students with wifi problems (including international students).

If you want to find out more details about this fellowship or what the next steps were upon completion please read the full snapshot (PDF) or contact Gillian (g.m.proctor@leeds.ac.uk).

Project start date: January 2022