Examining online teaching practices in a K-12 setting

Abstract

This study explores intentional online teaching practices in the Australian K-12 distance education context, aiming to provide a foundational understanding of specific practices experienced distance education teachers use when teaching fully online in a mainly synchronous mode. Twenty-two teachers were interviewed. The seven categories for teaching quality synthesized by Praetorius and Charalambous were then used to examine the practices of these teachers. Using these categories, evidenced-informed sub-categories of intentional teaching practices emerged through insights teachers gave about their online teaching. Results indicated that when teaching online, teachers are focused mostly on content selection and presentation and the development of social-emotional support by using relationship-based strategies and process strategies. Maximizing student learning and cognitive activation are considered before teaching practices of behavior management, assessment, and practicing tasks. Considering how teachers intentionally teach online provides important insights into how teachers enact online teaching for student engagement.