(313) HUMANISTIC ONLINE TEACHING: BRIDGING OLD WORLD WISDOMS WITH NEW AGE TECHNOLOGY

摘要

Humanistic Online Teaching is a theoretical model and approach for online instruction in highereducation that was originally developed through an inductive heuristic research process by theresearcher and supplemented with a longitudinal study, utilizing secondary content data analysisextracting themes from online student evaluations. Humanistic Online Education is a instructionalapproach that integrates old world wisdoms with new age technology across micro, mezzo and macrosystems to bridge the personalization and instructor-student and student to student relationship gapbetween traditional on-campus education and distance learning, an area of online education that hasbeen sharply criticized in the recent global expansion of MOOCs. Drawing on the theoreticalfoundation of humanistic psychology [1] [2], systems theory [3], and cross-cultural collectivist wisdoms[4] [5], the researcher posits that online higher education has the potential not only to complimenttraditional on-campus instruction but enhance it globally on all three systemic levels.On a micro level, representing relationships (ancestors), the instructor's use of self, characterstrengths, and online presence create a trusting, dynamic and engaging forum through accentuatingnon-verbal and verbal modes of communication. On a mezzo level, representing identity (home), peerdiscussions with thoughtful reflection, experiential learning, and small group exercises sharing lifeexperiences build creative problem-solving, critical thinking and community support to form an onlinelearning community. On a macro level, representing service (land), online education is a vehicle foraccess to affordable, high quality higher education that promotes social justice and socioeconomicequality by allowing non-traditional students the opportunity to receive advanced degrees whileworking, caring for families and participating in community activism. The latter, community activism isan underutilized area of online learning that has the potential to expand local coalition building that willstrengthen not only the local, but the global village as well. Humanistic Online Teaching is arevolutionary but ancient model for transforming education in our contemporary society usingtraditional ways of knowing and being by promoting active citizenship and participation in humanaffairs