Purpose/Significance Dr Andree Swanson and Dr Maria Minor, research partners, are conducting a qualitative study to identify the views of online faculty on whether using an introductory video will be of assistance to increase social engagement. Faculty want to ensure that students have a sense of connection and engagement (e-connectivity) with the faculty. Increased e-connectivity will improve retention, reduce attrition, and help to keep the student engaged in the classroom (Swanson, Hutkin, Babb, & Howell, 2010, p. 121). The study will seek the opinions of online faculty using social media such as Linkedin, Blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Significance Statement The significance of this study is that faculty want to ensure that students are engaged in the online classroom. Studies have been completed that identified the need for: 1) Achieving a social connection (e-connectivity) with their students (Muirhead, 2000; Slagter van Tryon & Bishop, 2006)
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