The Vital Importance of Faculty Presence in an Online Learning Environment
One of the instructional methods, which is favored by students and which could arguably provide high quality educational opportunities, is faculty presence, as it makes possible the interaction between instructor and students and between students and students in a virtual learning environment. Online instructors and academic administrators in higher education cannot simply hold an assumption that quality online courses or student learning could largely depend upon good internet connectivity, high quality equipment, solid content knowledge of instructors, and beautifully designed online courses. The presence of an online instructor cannot ever be neglected or marginalized in online students' learning success. Therefore, it is highly significant to address the roles that instructors play in an online learning environment in order to underscore the crucial importance of faculty presence in the success of student learning.