CONNECT:a framework to enhance student connection to their course content, peers, and teaching staff in online learning environments

This article presents a framework designed for use at the course level to assist higher education teaching staff in increasing students’ feelings of belonging and connectedness in a 100% online postgraduate nursing course. Using a deductive process spanning several years, the framework was developed to improve student retention and success by establishing clear strategies for academic staff to enhance student connection to course content, peers and teaching staff. Although the CONNECT framework presented in this paper was developed for use in a 100% online postgraduate nursing course, the strategies described can be applied or adapted to suit an online course in any discipline