Bridging the gap between rhetoric and the realities of SEOL (Student Engagement in Online Learning)

Synopsis

Simultaneously, the notion of Student Engagement in Online Learning (SEOL) has continued to receive attention in the post-pandemic era. Although some studies associate SEOL with quality Teaching and Learning in the context of the ubiquitousness of online technologies, the ambiguity surrounding the perceived processes and outcomes of SEOL has not been without criticism. More importantly, studies exploring the viewpoint of academics in charge of fostering SEOL remain scarce. This study responds to this gap and draws on the interaction perspective (Moore, 1989; Hillman et al., 1994) to examine the rhetoric and reality of SEOL in four Australian universities. Following the Human Research Ethics Approval (Curtin University), 33 semi-structured interviews with academics were conducted between December 2021 and January 2022. Thematic analyses revealed three specific issues: a) the way SEOL is described and embedded at different policy tiers remains ambiguous, b) academics have divergent views regarding what constitutes effective SEOL and what is expected of them, and c) there are limited initial and continuing professional development opportunities to improve SEOL capabilities, especially for early-career academics. Based on these findings, the paper makes recommendations to potentially bridge the gap between rhetoric and the realities of SEOL.

Dr Subas Dhakal