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Power Distance and Teacher Authority in an Online Learning Environment

Computer-aided instruction has assumed a prominent role in language teacher preparation programs, as educators increasingly turn to online environments to extend learning beyond the classroom, stimulate critical thinking, and motivate future language teachers to “think outside the box” and take responsibility for their own learning. In online educational settings, instructor presence plays a significant role, and its impact has been extensively explored. However, the majority of the research has been carried out in Western countries, where the cultural norms of individualism, low power distance between teachers and students, and a high level of acceptance of instructor feedback typically play a positive role in online student-teacher interactions. Few studies have looked at the issue of instructor presence in Eastern cultures, where teachers are traditionally granted a high degree of authority, and learners often have a lower tolerance for situations where independent thought and creativity are called for – as is often the case in online learning.