Effect of Instructor Social Presence on Learner Persistence in Online Undergraduate Courses: The Mediating Role of Academic Belonging in South Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jodl.3508Keywords:
Instructor Presence, Online LearningAbstract
Purpose: The purpose of this article was to analyze the effect of instructor social presence on learner persistence in online undergraduate courses: the mediating role of academic belonging.
Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
Findings: Instructor social presence significantly increases learner persistence in online undergraduate courses by improving interaction, motivation, and engagement. The effect occurs primarily through academic belonging, where students who feel connected and valued are more likely to complete and re-enroll in courses. Therefore, strengthening instructor communication and support mechanisms reduces withdrawal and enhances retention in online learning environments.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Community of inquiry (COI) theory, self-determination theory & student integration theory may be used to anchor future studies on the effect of instructor social presence on learner persistence in online undergraduate courses: the mediating role of academic belonging. At the institutional and instructional level, the study emphasizes that improving retention requires deliberate relational teaching rather than only technological investment. From a policy perspective, the findings suggest that quality assurance frameworks for online education should include measurable instructor engagement standards rather than focusing solely on infrastructure and content delivery.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Elizabeth Phiri
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