Understanding Peer and Student-Instructor Relationships in Post-Secondary Online Learning

Abstract

The development of meaningful interpersonal relationships remains a persistent challenge in post-secondary online learning. Although peer and student-instructor relationships are widely recognized as important to successful online learning experiences, existing research has largely emphasized observable forms of participation and interaction, offering less insight into how learners subjectively experience the influence of these relationships on learning processes. Grounded in sociocultural theory and the Community of Inquiry framework, this study examines how peer and student-instructor relationships shape online learning experiences in post-secondary education. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design combines survey and interview data from education students and instructors at a Western Canadian Faculty of Education. Early insights from data analysis suggest that participants perceive both peer and student-instructor relationships as important components of their online learning experiences, particularly in supporting engagement, participation, and challenge resolution. By foregrounding the social and subjective dimensions of online learning, the study contributes to discussions surrounding the pedagogical conditions that foster positive relationships and support student learning in post-secondary online education.