Purpose, Pedagogy and Philosophy: 'Being' and Online Lecturer

Teaching online is an increasingly common aspect of university lecturers’ teaching roles. While research has developed understanding in relation to the student experience and learning online (Garrison et. Al., 2000, Kehrwald, 2008, Stott, 2016), less attention has been paid to the role of the lecturer (Arbaugh, 2014). This study observed the practice of university lecturers teaching on a range of undergraduate degree programmes in the United Kingdom. Lecturers’ purpose, pedagogy and philosophy were seen to emerge in the dialogic patterns of the online space. Practice was shaped by lecturers’ epistemological positioning and their cultural values and beliefs. The practice, which was observed across different modules reflected the different positions lecturers took when they approached online teaching. The research highlights the way in which lecturers’ purpose, pedagogy and philosophy, are reflected in their online facilitation.