Transformation of online teaching practices through implementation of appreciative inquiry

Abstract

The purpose of this case study was to explore the application and outcome of appreciative inquiry as an online instructional strategy for the development of three specific factors: adult learner motivation, engagement, and performance. Appreciative andragogy was an original phrase developed for this study and is an adaptation of appreciative inquiry. Appreciative inquiry has been successfully utilized within organizations to facilitate change and development, while enhancing employee motivation, engagement, and performance. Because there is little research concerning the application of appreciative inquiry to an academic environment, elements of appreciative inquiry were implemented as an instructional strategy within undergraduate and graduate online classrooms. The appreciative inquiry model was adapted for this study as appreciative andragogy and utilized over a four-week implementation period. The participants worked with selected students from their online class and they measured the three factors (motivation, engagement, and performance) before and after the implementation phase. The findings of this study indicate that appreciative andragogy can be applied as an instructional strategy in any online classroom regardless of the subject matter and it holds the potential to have a positive impact on the online learning classroom environment. The study concluded that appreciative andragogy has an ability to take the distance out of distance learning.