Research Reviews

The accessibility and flexibility of fully online courses in higher education is well-accepted, and well-researched. While in school education there have been pockets of fully online delivery - usually limited to students unable to attend school due to distance - online and distance education providers are increasingly accommodating students who do not attend school for social, medical, religious or philosophical reasons. At the same time schools and education systems are considering the economic and educational benefits of online delivery when that allows for rationalisation of teaching loads or broadening student subject choices. Thus it is timely to consider research by Rehn, Maor and McConney (2016) examining high school courses delivered by synchronous videoconference. To what extent do high school students experience 'teacher presence' in this mode of learning?