Social Presence Theory: Relevance for HRD/VHRD Research and Practice

The ProblemSocial presence theory (SPT) is the degree to which a person is perceived to be a “real person” in their computer-mediated communication or virtual environments. The level of social presence influences the quality of virtual interactions and outcomes. SPT has not been examined within human resource development (HRD) or virtual human resource development (VHRD); therefore, it is not known if increased social presence could improve virtual teams/organizations and online instruction.The SolutionDesigning online environments and practices to increase social presence could enhance VHRD within virtual teams, online instructional design, and educational settings. Application of Community of Inquiry (CoI), Social Presence Model, and SPT-inspired instructional design through Gagne’s nine events are discussed with recommendations to improve HRD/VHRD by fostering trust, communication, collaboration, personal relationships, and learning within virtual resources and teams.The StakeholdersThe literature and application of SPT would benefit HRD/VHRD researchers, HR practitioners, educators, and team leaders/managers.

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Instructional Design in Human Resource Development Academic Programs in the USA

Optimizing Instructional Design Methods in Higher Education - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-4975-8.ch004 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 48-72

Author(s):

Sunyoung Park ◽

Doo Hun Lim ◽

Minkyoung Kim

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Instructional Design ◽

Human Resource Development ◽

Human Resource ◽

Resource Development ◽

Academic Programs ◽

Current Status ◽

Design Practices ◽

The Usa ◽

Instructional Design Practices

The purpose of this chapter is to identify the current status of instructional design courses in human resource development (HRD) graduate programs. The authors examined the curricular content of HRD academic programs in the USA and suggested critical considerations to improve instructional design practices in higher education settings. By reviewing information about 124 institutions with graduate HRD programs, they found that 27 of the institutions (21.8%) offer required and/or elective instructional design courses. In addition, the authors conducted an in-depth review of those 27 institutions to identify the affiliations and features of their HRD programs (college, school, department, program names, degrees, and the existence of online programs). To better understand the instructional design practices in higher education settings, they also discuss three instructional approaches for instructional design, consideration for using technology-mediated instructional design, and instructional design models for learning transfer. Finally, the authors present conclusions and recommendations for future research.

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Student Perceptions of the Use of Multimedia for Online Course Communication

Online Learning ◽

10.24059/olj.v21i3.1198 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Laura Portolese ◽

Julie Bonner

Keyword(s):

Student Perceptions ◽

Social Presence ◽

Computer Mediated Communication ◽

Multimedia Communications ◽

Online Course ◽

Mediated Communication ◽

Computer Mediated ◽

Online Classrooms ◽

Perceptions Of Students ◽

Real Person

A great deal of research exists in the use of multimedia communications in online classrooms as a means of furthering student engagement. However, little research exists that examines the perceptions of students when such technologies are used. Additionally, it is unclear that students are likely to engage in the use of such technologies when available. This research explores the perceptions of 69 students taking both online and hybrid undergraduate project management courses. Specifically, the study seeks to explore how students experienced the use of multimedia by their instructor and classmates in both online announcements and discussions, as well as whether these same students used or would be likely to use multimedia for similar communications. Finally, student perceptions of social presence, the degree to which one is perceived as a real person in computer-mediated communication (Gunawardena, 1995), are examined. The results of the study indicate that while students overwhelming enjoy the instructor’s use of multimedia communication, they are unlikely to engage in using these technologies themselves. A discussion of these results and recommendations for further research complete this paper.

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The Role of Swift Trust in Virtual Teams and Implications for Human Resource Development

Advances in Developing Human Resources ◽

10.1177/1523422314532097 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 356-370 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Marie-Line Germain ◽

David McGuire

Keyword(s):

Human Resource Development ◽

Human Resource ◽

Virtual Teams ◽

Resource Development ◽

Organizational Structures ◽

Team Members ◽

Trust Development ◽

Technological Barriers ◽

Swift Trust ◽

The Individual

The Problem The combination of flatter organizational structures, globalization, cost-saving initiatives, and the increased emphasis on knowledge sharing has been a contributor to the use of virtual teams in U.S. organizations. The Solution To perform efficiently in a virtual environment, team members must develop swift trust, which does not come inherently with team membership. Understanding the individual, team, organizational, and technological barriers affecting the development of swift trust is critical to an appreciation of how such barriers can be overcome. The Stakeholders In this article, we indicate how virtual human resource development (VHRD) can assist virtual teams, managers, and HR professionals overcome swift trust development barriers. The intended audience for this article includes HRD scholars, scholar-practitioners, practitioners, and students interested in understanding how trust is fostered in virtual teams and how HRD practitioners can make a valuable contribution to the effectiveness of virtual teams.

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