Instructor misbehavior and student outcomes: Replication and extension in the online classroom

Abstract

As online courses gain popularity in higher education, researchers need to examine how problematic communication behaviors like instructor misbehaviors impact instructional learning goals (i.e., affect and perceived cognitive learning) in order to help provide positive affect and quality online instruction. This study relied particularly on 193 undergraduate online survey responses considering student experiences with online instruction and extends previous research examining student evaluations of instructor misbehavior, student forgiveness motivations, instructor credibility, course climate, and students’ affect and perceived learning into the online classroom. Model testing supports students’ unforgiveness motivations, instructor credibility, online learning climate, and student affect as mediators of student evaluations of misbehavior and perceived learning. The results provide several practical implications for effective online instruction.