Online Best Practice: Interaction Matters

Abstract

This article addresses some of the issues that are critical to improving quality in the delivery of learning opportunities in higher education. The authors assert that interaction, in all its varied forms, is important to achieving that objective. Interaction may take different forms in the varied face-to-face or online delivery systems – yet each can be equally effective when properly understood and implemented. The authors identify changing roles that professors and students may need to recognize and adopt in order to achieve quality interaction processes for each delivery system. Appropriate interaction in online teaching and learning is the main focus of this article. Pragmatic suggestions are also offered that can be implemented to attain the objective of providing quality learning opportunities in a variety of learning environments.