"It Felt Like a Real Classroom": Applying Pedagogical Care in Online Teaching and Learning Design.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	"It Felt Like a Real Classroom": Applying Pedagogical Care in Online Teaching and Learning Design.
Authors:	Rowe, Paula¹
Source:	Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice. 2026 2nd Quarter, Vol. 23 Issue 2, p1-21. 21p.
Subject Terms:	Student engagement, Educational support, Higher education, Educational equalization, Interactive learning, Minority students, Social work education, Online education
Abstract:	Online learning widens access to higher education for underrepresented students. A safe learning space that fosters relational dialogue is crucial for recognising the "complexities and wisdom" that diverse learners bring and creating conditions that value students as "whole people" (Motta & Bennett, 2018). However, flexible delivery can make it challenging to engage online learners in class dialogue, especially students who lack confidence to engage with peers and teachers (Lawrence et al., 2024). In response, action research was undertaken with "equity-like" students enrolled in fully online human service degrees to learn about the barriers and enablers to joining class discussions. An applied framing of pedagogical care was used to co-design and evaluate a dialogic learning activity dubbed the "care-full Zoom" with multiple ways to join the conversation in synchronous and asynchronous modes. Mapping care-full teacher qualities to student learning outcomes revealed practical ways that pedagogical care can be exercised in online learning design. Results show considerably improved engagement with content, peers, and teachers following implementation of the care-full Zoom. Crucially, students reported greater confidence in their capabilities as students and as emerging lived experience practitioners. The findings are significant for supporting growing numbers of underrepresented students accessing higher education through online study options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	Online learning widens access to higher education for underrepresented students. A safe learning space that fosters relational dialogue is crucial for recognising the "complexities and wisdom" that diverse learners bring and creating conditions that value students as "whole people" (Motta & Bennett, 2018). However, flexible delivery can make it challenging to engage online learners in class dialogue, especially students who lack confidence to engage with peers and teachers (Lawrence et al., 2024). In response, action research was undertaken with "equity-like" students enrolled in fully online human service degrees to learn about the barriers and enablers to joining class discussions. An applied framing of pedagogical care was used to co-design and evaluate a dialogic learning activity dubbed the "care-full Zoom" with multiple ways to join the conversation in synchronous and asynchronous modes. Mapping care-full teacher qualities to student learning outcomes revealed practical ways that pedagogical care can be exercised in online learning design. Results show considerably improved engagement with content, peers, and teachers following implementation of the care-full Zoom. Crucially, students reported greater confidence in their capabilities as students and as emerging lived experience practitioners. The findings are significant for supporting growing numbers of underrepresented students accessing higher education through online study options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	14499789
DOI:	10.53761/1404va60