Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education / Edited by Laura Gray, Shernette Dunn

The surge in enrollment for online courses is continually increasing. However, beneath the convenience lies a challenge that demands a resolution. Educators, administrators, and instructional designers must ensure that the human element is not lost in the virtual corridors of learning. Students with diverse backgrounds and learning needs require more than a simple virtual classroom. Research reveals a concerning trend: high attrition rates in online courses, often attributed to a lack of engagement and insufficient human interaction. To reverse this trend, deliberate measures must be taken to humanize the online learning environment. This book provides several solutions, offering an array of tools and strategies to promote engagement and infuse the human touch into online spaces. To confront this multi-layered challenge, it becomes paramount to undertake deliberate measures aimed at humanizing the online learning environment. Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education steps forward as a guide, offering an extensive array of tools and strategies meticulously crafted to foster student engagement and infuse the essential human touch into the digital educational landscape. In an era marked by the emergence of technology, this book also serves as a pivotal guide for colleges and universities in their pursuit of forming comprehensive professional development opportunities for online faculty and staff. It offers nuanced insights into leveraging cutting-edge educational technology, including AI, to facilitate deeper and relevant learning experiences that connect students seamlessly to the real world. Ultimately, its aim is to humanize the online learning environment, fostering a more inclusive, engaging, and successful educational landscape that transcends the boundaries of the virtual realm.