Two Niagara University Professors Publish Article in The Teaching Professor

Dr. Elizabeth Falzone and Dr. Caitlin Riegel, assistant professors in the College of Education at Niagara University, recently published an article titled "Developing Virtual Learning Contracts to Enhance Student Success in Online Courses and Programs" in The Teaching Professor.

The article discusses the development and use of a virtual learning contract, which modifies the traditional contract with elements unique to online education. The contract outlines the expectations, goals, and responsibilities of all participants to ensure a successful learning experience. It provides clarity and accountability, enabling participants to be self-directed learners. By clearly outlining expectations, responsibilities, and support structures, VLCs bridge the gap between faculty and students, fostering a virtual learning environment that promotes success in the digital age.

The professors suggest that by clearly defining expectations and responsibilities, a VLC addresses the distinct challenges of virtual learning environments, fostering greater engagement, collaboration, and academic achievement. Faculty and students alike benefit from the transparency, consistency, and accountability that a VLC establishes, leading to academic excellence in the digital age.

"Students generally come into an online class from a background of face-to-face education, and this background often creates expectations that cause students problems in an online class," explained Dr. Riegel. "For example, face-to-face classes meet according to a fixed schedule. But students need to create their own schedule in an online class, and many skip this step, just assuming that they will get to the class when the time pops up in their day. Students are also unfamiliar with the asynchronous discussion format, often thinking that they can post once and ignore the discussion for the rest of the week. A virtual learning contract addresses this problem by laying out course expectations and committing students to follow them."

The Teaching Professor, a weekly online publication, offers readers thoughtful advice on a wealth of critical topics, including planning and designing courses; promoting academic integrity; increasing student engagement; responding to course evaluations and feedback; dealing with difficult students; and developing effective activities and assignments. It aims to be the go-to resource for faculty who wish to improve learning.