Online learning has become a prominent and inseparable component of higher education in recent years. Questions related to course structure, levels of interaction, presence, and participation within online courses persist and invite further inquiry for determining factors that encourage effective teaching and learning in online environments. The Handbook of Research on Strategic Management of Interaction, Presence, and Participation in Online Courses explores models of course development and delivery techniques to improve instruction, learning, and student satisfaction in online courses. Covering topics such as rates of participation, student engagement and retention, and social development, this handbook serves as a resource for educators in online learning environments, as well as for course designers and developers of online courses and researchers whose agenda includes examining interaction, presence, and participation in online courses.

Challenges in the educational arena are not new phenomena. However, with the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and educators have been made even more aware of the need for a paradigm shift in education. Blended learning, as opposed to fully online learning or traditional face-to-face teaching, has been well-researched and has been found to have the potential to provide better educational solutions in challenging contexts. These contexts range from pandemic situations where social distancing is the order of the day to financial and time constraints regarding full-time study, as well as limited physical capacity at institutions. Blended learning solutions are often designed for resourceful institutions and cannot be easily implemented in developing countries and in communities where resources are limited. Typical issues like connectivity, accessibility, lack of suitable devices, and affordability need to be taken into consideration and in cognizance of blended learning interventions. These challenges are often neglected in blended learning research but are critical discussions to be had. Re-Envisioning and Restructuring Blended Learning for Underprivileged Communities shares how institutions in the developing world and less privileged communities have re-imagined and restructured blended education to enhance teaching and learning for underprivileged communities. This book aims to address blended learning solutions across institutional, program, course, and activity levels. The chapters will cover a variety of learning environments, from rural settings to less developed countries and more, and explore the programs and courses designed to improve student success and accessibility in diverse student populations. This book is ideally intended for teachers, administrators, teacher educators, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students who are interested in blended learning opportunities in less-privileged settings and to underserved and marginalized populations.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many educational institutions implemented social distancing interventions such as initiating closure, developing plans for employees to work remotely, and transitioning teaching and learning from face-to-face classrooms to online environments. The abrupt switch to online teaching and learning, for the most part, has been a massive change for administration, faculty, and students at traditional brick-and-mortar universities and colleges as concerns regarding the pedagogical soundness of this mode of delivery remain among some stakeholders. Not only that, but the switch has also revealed the inequities in the system when it comes to the types of students universities serve. It is important as institutions move forward with online instruction that consideration be made about all students and what policies and strategies need to be put into place to help support and meet the needs of all constituents now or when unprecedented situations arise. The only way this can be done is by documenting the experiences through the eyes of faculty who were at the frontline of providing instruction and advising services to students. The Handbook of Research on Inequities in Online Education During Global Crises brings to light the struggles faculty and students faced as they were required to switch to online education during the global COVID-19 health crisis. This crisis has revealed inequities in the educational system as well as the specific effects of inequities when it comes to learning online, and the chapters in this book provide information to help institutions be better prepared for online education or remote learning in the future. While highlighting topics such as new educational trends, remote instruction, diversity in education, and teaching and learning in a pandemic, this book is ideal for in-service and preservice teachers, administrators, teacher educators, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the inequalities within the educational systems and the new policies and strategies put in place with online education to combat these issues and support the needs of all diverse student populations.

A major investment in professional development is necessary to ensure the fundamental success of instructors in technology-integrated classrooms and in online courses. However, while traditional models of professional development rely on face-to-face instruction, online methods are also gaining traction-viable means for faculty development.Virtual Mentoring for Teachers: Online Professional Development Practices offers peer-reviewed essays and research reports contributed by an array of scholars and practitioners in the field of instructional technology and online education. It is organized around two primary themes: professional development models for faculty in online environments and understanding e-Learning and best practices in teaching and learning in online environments. The objective of this scholarship is to highlight research-based online professional development programs and best practices models that have been shown to enhance effective teaching and learning in a variety of environments.

While online courses are said to be beneficial and many reputable brick and mortar higher education institutions are now offering undergraduate and graduate programs online, there is still ongoing debate on issues related to credibility and acceptability. There is some reluctance to teach online and to admit and hire students who have enrolled in online programs. Given these concerns, it is essential that educators in online communities continue to share the significant learning experiences and outcomes that occur in online classrooms and highlight pedagogical practices used by online instructors to make their courses and programs comparable to those offered face-to-face. The Handbook of Research on Creating Meaningful Experiences in Online Courses is a comprehensive research book that examines the quality of courses in higher education that are offered exclusively online and details strategies and practices used by online instructors to create meaningful teaching and learning experiences in online courses. Featuring a range of topics such as gamification, professional development, and learning outcomes, this book is ideal for academicians, researchers, educators, administrators, instructional designers, curriculum developers, higher education faculty, and students.

Learning environments continue to change considerably and is no longer confined to the face-to-face classroom setting. As learning options have evolved, educators must adopt a variety of pedagogical strategies and innovative technologies to enable learning. Practical Applications and Experiences in K-20 Blended Learning Environments compiles pedagogical strategies and technologies and their outcomes that have been successfully applied in blended instruction. Highlighting best practices as elementary, secondary, and tertiary educational levels; this book is a vital tool for educators who teach or plan to teach in blended learning environments and for researchers interested in the area of blended education knowledge.

As enrollment numbers continue to grow for online education classes, it is imperative instructors be prepared to teach students from diverse groups. Students who engage in learning in classrooms where their backgrounds are recognized and the instruction is welcoming and all-inclusive perform better. Individuals who teach in online settings must endeavor to create caring and culturally appropriate environments to encourage learning among all students irrespective of their demographic composition. Care and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Online Settings is a collection of innovative research on the incorporation of culturally sensitive teaching practices in online classrooms, and how these methods have had an impact on student learning. While highlighting topics including faculty teaching, restorative justice, and nontraditional students, this book is ideally designed for instructors, researchers, instructional designers, administrators, policymakers, and students seeking current research on online educators incorporating care and culturally responsive pedagogy into practice.

Many learning options are possible in education, from traditional to blended/hybrid to fully online. Of the three delivery formats, the blended mode, which involves the fusion of online and traditional face-to-face instruction and learning activities, is considered to have the greatest potential to provide the best learning environment. As blended learning continues to evolve and expand, it is important that information regarding what constitutes the ideal combination of online and traditional pedagogical strategies in blended education and at all levels is illuminated and shared. Emerging Techniques and Applications for Blended Learning in K-20 Classrooms is an academic publication that focuses on pedagogical strategies and technologies that have been successfully employed by educators in blended instruction. In addition, the student outcomes from the use of these techniques are presented. Covering a wide range of topics such as gamification, civic education, and critical thinking, this book is essential for academicians, administrators, educators, instructors, researchers, instructional designers, curriculum developers, principals, early childhood educators, higher education faculty, and students.

Many learning options are possible in education, from traditional to blended/hybrid to fully online. Of the three delivery formats, the blended mode, which involves the fusion of online and traditional face-to-face instruction and learning activities, is considered to have the greatest potential to provide the best learning environment. As blended learning continues to evolve and expand, it is important that information regarding what constitutes the ideal combination of online and traditional pedagogical strategies in blended education and at all levels is illuminated and shared. Emerging Techniques and Applications for Blended Learning in K-20 Classrooms is an academic publication that focuses on pedagogical strategies and technologies that have been successfully employed by educators in blended instruction. In addition, the student outcomes from the use of these techniques are presented. Covering a wide range of topics such as gamification, civic education, and critical thinking, this book is essential for academicians, administrators, educators, instructors, researchers, instructional designers, curriculum developers, principals, early childhood educators, higher education faculty, and students.

Challenges in the educational arena are not new phenomena. However, with the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and educators have been made even more aware of the need for a paradigm shift in education. Blended learning, as opposed to fully online learning or traditional face-to-face teaching, has been well-researched and has been found to have the potential to provide better educational solutions in challenging contexts. These contexts range from pandemic situations where social distancing is the order of the day to financial and time constraints regarding full-time study, as well as limited physical capacity at institutions. Blended learning solutions are often designed for resourceful institutions and cannot be easily implemented in developing countries and in communities where resources are limited. Typical issues like connectivity, accessibility, lack of suitable devices, and affordability need to be taken into consideration and in cognizance of blended learning interventions. These challenges are often neglected in blended learning research but are critical discussions to be had. Re-Envisioning and Restructuring Blended Learning for Underprivileged Communities shares how institutions in the developing world and less privileged communities have re-imagined and restructured blended education to enhance teaching and learning for underprivileged communities. This book aims to address blended learning solutions across institutional, program, course, and activity levels. The chapters will cover a variety of learning environments, from rural settings to less developed countries and more, and explore the programs and courses designed to improve student success and accessibility in diverse student populations. This book is ideally intended for teachers, administrators, teacher educators, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students who are interested in blended learning opportunities in less-privileged settings and to underserved and marginalized populations.

Due to the recent increase in digital education technologies, online education classes have been experiencing a popularity increase among students worldwide. As classroom diversity continues to expand, instructors grapple with strategies to create caring and culturally responsive educational environments to increase student engagement irrespective of their demographic composition. Care and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Online Settings is a collection of innovative research on the incorporation of culturally sensitive teaching practices in online classrooms and how these methods have had an impact on student learning. Contributed by education experts from the USA, UK, and more, this publication provides comprehensive coverage on topics including faculty teaching, restorative justice, nontraditional students, and more, making it a valuable resource for instructors, researchers, instructional designers, administrators, policymakers, and students seeking current research on online educators incorporating care and culturally responsive pedagogy.