Teaching Assistants' Training Program

Michal Kasprzak, Curriculum Developer TATP

Over the past 15 years, we have witnessed a continued growth in online higher education but much debate remains on the legitimacy and value of online coursework. For online courses to offer a high quality of learning, they must be rooted in effective interactions of students with their instructors, students with each other, and students with the content. An essential component of developing and using an online learning environment is the online presence. Indeed, building an online presence—of you as the Teaching Assistant or Course Instructor and of your students as a community of learners—is the best way to enhance web-based learning and engagement. In this workshop, we will explore the various factors that shape online education through an examination of evolving concepts of presence, communications and interaction.