Virtual spaces: Employing a synchronous online classroom to facilitate student engagement in online learning
Open accessAbstract
This research study is a collaborative project between faculty in social foundations, special education, and instructional technology in which we analyze student data from six undergraduate and graduate courses related to the use of a virtual classroom space. Transactional distance theory (Moore & Kearsley, 1996) operates as our theoretical framework as we explore the role of a virtual classroom in distance education and analyze the ways in which a synchronous learning environment affects students’ learning experiences. Elluminate Live! was the software employed in the virtual classroom. In this analysis, particular themes emerged related to dialogue, structure, and learner autonomy. In addition, students rated convenience, technical issues, and pedagogical preferences as important elements in their learning experiences. The article discusses these themes as a contribution to reducing the “distance” that students experience in online learning and to developing quality distance education experiences for students in higher education.
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The literature shows a tentative connection between synchronous (versus asynchronous) instruction and engagement.
“While there is no concrete evidence, the literature does show a tentative connection between synchronous (versus asynchronous) instruction and engagement (e.g., McBrien et al., 2009)”
From Competing hypotheses about online versus face-to-face course outcomes: Analysis leveraging the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic (2025) · cites this paper as McBrien et al., 2009
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Research works printed but not linked: 11
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Schindler, L. A., Burkholder, G. J., Morad, O. A., & Marsh, C. (2017) · International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education · doi:10.1186/s41239-017-0063-0 · Cited by 475 · see citing works
Castelli, F. R., & Sarvary, M. A. (2021) · Ecology and Evolution · doi:10.1002/ece3.7123 · Cited by 451 · see citing works
Popov, V., Biemans, H. J. A., Brinkman, D., Kuznetsov, A. N., & Mulder, M. (2013) · The Internet and Higher Education · doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2013.08.002 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
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Panigrahi, R., Srivastava, P. R., Panigrahi, P. K., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2022) · Journal of Computer Information Systems · doi:10.1080/08874417.2021.2004565 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Wladis, C., Hachey, A. C., Conway, K., & Manly, C. (2025) · Online Learning · doi:10.24059/olj.v29i3.5018
- Authors
- McBrien, J. L., Cheng, R., & Jones, P.
- Affiliations
- University of South Florida (US)
- Nazareth College (US)
- ORCID
- McBrien, J. Lynn
- Venue
- The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning
- Publisher
- Athabasca University Press
- Published
- 2009-06-26
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 3
- ISSN
- 1492-3831 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2152490358
- Cited by
- 633
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 58 · 2022: 108 · 2021: 122 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 38 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 65.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Érudit (Université de Montréal) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Online and Blended Learning
- Social Sciences › Education › Technology-Enhanced Education Studies
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Educational Technology in Learning
- Keywords
- synchronous online learning, virtual learning environments, student engagement, transactional distance theory, distance education, learner autonomy, Elluminate Live!, student learning experience, technical issues in online learning, special education course, instructional technology course
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