Critical Success Factors in Elevating Students' Learning Experience in Synchronous Online Environments

The evolving nature of technology in online education provides opportunities to leverage new tools in order to bridge the gap between learners and instructors. Empirical evidence is lacking regarding instructional strategies' proven effectiveness in synchronous online education. A survey was conducted in March 2010 across 60 library science students to understand the critical success factors in elevating students' learning experience in synchronous environments. The findings suggest that instructors can use synchronous technology supported by effective technological backup in order to elevate students' learning experience by facilitating learner-centered dialogue and building a social presence that will engage students.