Second-year student perceptions and use of technology during emergency remote teaching to connect with peers and instructors

Learning is a social experience and having meaningful connections with peers and instructors is important for student learning. The interpersonal relationships between students and their instructor can positively influence students’ well-being, motivation and self-efficacy (Aguilera-Hermida, 2020; Almendingen et al., 2021; Gillis & Krull, 2020; Kim & Sax, 2009; Marković et al., 2021; Parpala et al., 2021; Pitsick, 2018). Creating productive interpersonal relationships with peers contributes to students’ beliefs of being supported, respected, and valued, and increases the likelihood of students asking their peers for help (Mäkitalo-Siegl & Fischer, 2011). When students feel connected to their peers they are more likely to engage with their peers in ways that support their learning and deepen their knowledge as a result (Shim et al., 2013). Interaction with instructors can also positively influence learning outcomes and student well-being (Pitsick, 2018), and instructors can be a valuable source of help and guidance (Ryan et al., 2001). However, during the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to emergency remote teaching and learning, students’ relationship with peers was significantly impacted (Motz et al., 2022) and forcing peer-to-peer interaction through mandating camera feeds on during live synchronous video classes disproportionately affected students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those experiencing anxiety or depression (Castelli & Sarvary, 2021). As students were adapting to learn during the pandemic, they increased their reliance on their instructor and highly ranked instructor engagement as a factor that positively influenced their motivation (Nguyen, 2021). As motivation increases, so does self-efficacy, and when students feel supported, engaged, connected and valued by their peers and instructors, they are more likely to be successful students (Zepke, 2018)

A blended learning framework for curriculum design and professional development

The need for flexibility in learning and the affordances of technology provided the impetus for the rise of blended learning (BL) globally across higher education institutions. However, the adoption of BL practices continues at a low pace due to academics’ low digital fluency, various views and BL definitions, and limited standards-based tools to guide academic practice. To address these issues, this paper introduces a BL framework, based on one definition and with criteria and standards of practice to support the evaluation and advancement of BL in higher education. The framework is theoretically underpinned by the extant literature and supported by focus group discussions. The evidence supporting the criteria and standards are discussed with suggestions for how they can be used to guide course design, academic practice, and professional development