Unlocking success: Key features of college online pedagogical practices that predict better performance

The rapid growth of online learning brings unique challenges that require well-designed and thoughtfully implemented courses to support student success. This study aims to examine the associations between a comprehensive array of online pedagogical practices and student outcomes. Using a previously established rubric, which is grounded in online learning theories and specifically developed to address the unique challenges and affordances of online education, we coded the pedagogical practices of 100 randomly selected online courses from a large community college. The courses were further linked to student transcript data that included 3660 student enrollment records. We then used a multilevel regression model to examine the relationship between observed pedagogical practices and student performance outcomes. Our findings highlight several key practices that are associated with better student performance, including the articulation of learning objectives, diversified content delivery media, regular announcements and reminders, and non-content-related social interaction opportunities. These findings contribute to the knowledge of effective online pedagogical practices, providing actionable guidance for practitioners in selecting and implementing strategies to enhance online learning outcomes.