Love and the Distance: The Role of Presence in Online Learning

Authors

  • Keith Brown University of Toronto
  • Zian Zhang University of Toronto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.6163

Keywords:

Holistic Education, Contemplative Teaching and Learning, Educational Technology, Online Teaching and Learning

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to online teaching and learning, prompting concerns about maintaining teacher and student presence in virtual classrooms. Holistic education, emphasizing love, care, and interconnectedness, faces challenges in the digital realm. Holistic educators explore online behaviours, environments, and tools fostering deep presence. Four post-secondary educators were interviewed, revealing a focus on managing emotions for a positive online atmosphere. They utilize positive mental states and contemplative rituals to compensate for the lack of physical presence. Instead of redefining presence, educators use online tools to uphold traditional notions, such as requiring visible cameras. Further research is needed to understand how holistic educators’ exposure to online technologies may impact contemplative ideas of presence.

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Author Biographies

Keith Brown, University of Toronto

Keith Brown is a recent PhD graduate in the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning program at OISE. An active volunteer with Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association in Toronto since 2006, Keith’s areas of study include Social-Emotional Learning and holistic education, with a special emphasis on how teachers use mindfulness, presence, metaphor, and meditation to foster wisdom and compassion in diverse classroom settings as well as for conflict resolution. In addition to teaching English and writing classes to middle and high school students, Keith works in the music copyright industry, where he has developed a passion for supporting artists, writers and musicians in their careers. His current academic interests are centered around the transformative power of gratitude and gift-centered contemplations for educators, as well as love-based pedagogies and compassion-informed assessment. He currently facilitates weekly guided meditation practices at University of Toronto, and continues to explore the impact of visualization and metaphor on how teachers frame their classrooms.

Zian Zhang, University of Toronto

Zian (Kelly) Zhang is a Full-time Ph.D. Candidate in the curriculum and pedagogy program at OISE. She completed her OISE master’s in Curriculum Studies and Teacher Development program in 2016. She is one of the ten Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto Buddha's Light Young Adult Award Recipients in Canada. Kelly’s research interests focus on education policy and leadership. She holds a background in folk music and choral arts. She is a classical voice musician. She is a Research Assistant for the SSHRC Creating Equitable Structures in Early Secondary School Mathematics project. She also worked as GA for SSHRC Reciprocal Learning in Teacher Education and School Education between Canada and China project. She is co-president of the Canadian Committee of Graduate Students in Education (CCGSE), the graduate student caucus within Canada’s national network of educational researchers, the Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE).

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Published

2024-03-14

How to Cite

Brown, K. ., & Zhang, Z. (2024). Love and the Distance: The Role of Presence in Online Learning. Canadian Journal of Education Revue Canadienne De l’éducation, 47(1), 59–85. https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.6163

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