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This study sought to define and measure online undergraduate students' perceived value of instructor presence techniques across five communication mediums per pedagogical goal (connection to course content, connection to classmates, connection to the instructor, foster interest, and facilitate immediate feedback). Students found personalized written messages from an instructor (M=4.61) as most valuable due to their ability to provide immediate feedback. Interactive phone calls (M=3.24) were the least valuable in the area of familiarity. Results indicate all instructor presence techniques had value, but some were more valuable than others.

An exploratory study using a questionnaire was conducted among 597 full-time enrolled online students and 53 full-time online faculty teaching at a private university in the Southwest. Results are presented in frequency tables and participant feedback to compare differences and similarities of instructor and student perceptions of reasons for late assignment submission, late point policy, and leniency within an online learning environment. Differences in perception between student and faculty participants are noted. Further inquiry into the impact late assignment submissions, late point policies and instructor leniency have on student success rates, satisfaction, and persistence is warranted.

Assessment is and has been a deliberate and essential piece of education. However, with the recent emergence and popularity of online education, faculty members have to find new ways to engage online learners with formative assessments. While much of the online learning environment can be self-guided, faculty interventions can make the content more engaging for the learner. Biggs and Tang (2011) note the term "backwash" which refers to the direct effect assessments have on a student's learning. Baleni (2015) further expounded on this point by stating that the assessments, not the curriculum, can define how and what a student learns. Using technology to create engaging formative assessment is one way that faculty members can enhance student learning while helping learners prepare for a summative assessment. However, one of the important findings of this study is the time and effort saved by online faculty members using this type of technology for formative assessment. Using an independent samples t-test, this study found a nonsignificant difference in quiz scores between the two formats (paper or Socrative) for formative assessment. The results suggest that Web 2.0 tools can be just beneficial in helping students prepare for a summative assessment. In addition, when chosen wisely, these tools can also influence participation, student wait time for feedback, and teacher grading time.

Research clearly establishes the value of online education to foster students' cognitive understanding of course material. However, engagement in the learning experience requires more than mere acquisition of new knowledge; to be fully engaged in the learning process, students must also connect with their peers and instructor in a meaningful way. The purpose of this study is to examine the value of instructor-personalized audio lectures as means of fostering students' engagement with course content and the online learning experience. Qualitative data on the student experience found that instructor-personalized audio lectures enhanced students' perceptions of value and engagement; quantitative data using a standardized engagement measure revealed no significant differences. Students' qualitative feedback about their online learning experience indicated that instructor-personalized audio lectures fostered greater student-instructor connections and significantly impacted the likelihood of students' engaging with course material. Recognizing the value of student engagement for ongoing satisfaction and retention in online learning programs, findings suggest that the creation of personalized audio lectures provides an efficient and effective means for faculty to positively impact students' online learning experience.