Beyond the Screen: The Role of Facilitators in Supporting Online Learner Engagement

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

1:30 PM – 2:45 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: M302

Session Type: Panel Discussion

Presenter(s)

JB

Jered Borup

Associate Professor
George Mason University
Springfield, VA, United States
DeLaina Tonks, PhD

Executive Director
Mountain Heights Academy
WEST JORDAN, Utah, United States
Shannon Smith

Senior Director of Student Learning Services
Michigan Virtual
Lansing, MI, United States
Jeff Simmons

Superintendent
Idaho Digital Learning Alliance
Boise, ID, United States
Samantha Viano

Associate Professor
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA, United States

Abstract Description : Learner engagement is the holy grail of online learning both for its importance and its elusiveness. To fully engage, many students require support beyond what is provided by online instructors and increasingly students are provided with an online or on-site facilitator who doesn't teach the course but focuses on developing trusting relationships, teaching learning skills, monitoring student progress, and motivating progress. In this panel, researchers and online school/program leaders will share research findings, experiences, and recommendations related to facilitator practice and support. We will also discuss how researchers and leaders can partner to better understand and promote best practices for supporting online learner engagement.

If someone was doing a search for your session in the program what 5 words might they use to search for and find your session.: Engagement, support, facilitators, success, coaches

Learning Objectives:

identify strategies for better supporting learner engagement through online and on-site facilitators.
describe challenges that that online and on-site facilitators face and strategies for overcoming them.