Understanding Online Power Dynamics in Higher Education: Teachers’ Conceptual Realization and Students’ Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness

Teachers and students worldwide have embarked on vigorous knowledge-discovering adventures post-COVID-19, transitioning from conventional teaching approaches to reimagined virtual pedagogical trends. Educators drastically shifted from traditional teaching environments to a new virtual teaching realm to minimize learning disruptions, leading to a new way of approaching educational research. Teachers’ power has become more transformative in this context, and learners’ perceptions have shifted toward collaborative and participatory approaches. The use of power by teachers influences students’ learning experiences and the achievement of learning goals. The type of communication employed in educational settings drives power dynamics, shapes students’ behavior, and fosters the necessary motivation.

This integrative literature review addresses the impact of teacher power and students’ evolved perceptions of online learning. It answers the questions: To what extent does understanding the teacher’s power and students’ perception impact online learning performance? And what type of teacher’s power fosters students’ engagement in an online environment? Data reveal that prosocial power, such as reference, rewards, and experts, positively impact learning outcomes. However, coercive powers are found powerless. The article highlights the importance of consistent communication and enforcing rules and expectations in online teaching. It presents the power dynamics model in an online environment with related pedagogical strategies. Additionally, it reports an effective data collection instrument enabling educators and administrators to identify the type of power that significantly shapes their interactions. To this end, teachers are encouraged to reflect critically on their power practices to create a more conducive online learning environment for students. Based on these findings, implications, limitations, and recommendations were presented.