Does teaching presence transfer between MBA teaching environments? A comparative investigation of instructional design practices associated with teaching presence

As demand for online course delivery in management education continues to grow, it is imperative that individual instructors transition their teaching skills from traditional classroom settings to this new teaching environment. This study examined the ability of the instructor to achieve consistent levels of teaching presence in both the classroom and online, and investigated the extent to which instructors engaged in transfer activities related to teaching practices associated with this phenomenon. Three findings are of interest. First, instructors who emphasized the tailoring of teaching practices from the classroom achieved greater levels of teaching presence online than in the classroom. Second, instructors spent more effort tailoring teaching practices for use online than in integrating practices used online back in the classroom. Finally, providing words of encouragement, affirmation, or validation of student contributions had a positive impact on teaching presence. Practical implications for improving the instructional design of online courses are discussed.