Defining ‘Faculty Presence’ for Online Instruction: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Concurrent Session 4

Brief Abstract

Concept of ‘Faculty presence’ (FP) plays a role in student learning. Yet, most descriptions for FP are framed around the concept of ‘teaching presence’ and the literature remains unclear on how it is defined. A systematic literature review was conducted to provide current descriptions of FP by educators and students.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Sharon Titus, Azusa Pacific University

Seasoned nurse educator and broadly experienced transcultural nurse who seeks to inspire and achieve student excellence by facilitating a student–centered learning environment.

Extended Abstract

Over the past decade, online learning has become a more widely used method of educational delivery for students across the globe. The concept of ‘Faculty presence’ (FP) plays a significant role in student learning in online higher education. With recent advancements in online learning, it has become more crucial for educators to understand the concept of FP in order to effectively adjust their teaching practices in virtual environments. Yet, most descriptions for FP are framed around the concept of ‘teaching presence’ and the literature remains unclear on how it is defined. A systematic literature review was conducted to provide current descriptions of FP by educators and students in online learning. PRISMA (2020) guidelines were followed that included 7 databases to identify, screen, and select current (2016-2022) studies/reports, resulting in 20 articles. Through thematic analysis, three themes emerged to illustrate current definitions: connectedness, direct instruction, and feedback. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework is commonly used as a foundation for articles focused on teaching presence. However, the results of this review encourage the revisitation of the framework, a construct formed over two decades ago, in order to apply to current descriptions of FP made by faculty and students. We also propose additional research is needed to explore how FP may be uniquely described in samples and settings of higher education such as international institutions where cultural values play a more prominent role in the teaching and learning environment. Finally, it is important to consider how faculty/teacher/instructor are operationalized.