Operationalising care in adult online learning: The STEPS conceptual framework for translating theory into practice
Abstract
Adult learners often pursue higher education while managing employment, caregiving duties, financial pressures, and other competing demands. Although extensive research has identified factors related to learner engagement, persistence, and success in online settings, faculty frequently receive limited guidance on how to apply these theoretical principles consistently in their teaching. This conceptual framework paper aims to bridge that theory–practice gap by creating a practitioner-focused implementation framework for adult online learning. The paper introduces the See the whole student, Teach with clarity, Engage with humility, Provide timely support, and Sustain hope (STEPS) framework as a conceptual and practical model designed to implement established principles of effective online teaching. STEPS was developed through an integrative conceptual synthesis and design-based approach rather than as a systematic literature review or an empirical validation study. Drawing from the Community of Inquiry, andragogy, transactional distance theory, pedagogies of care, and adult learner persistence scholarship, this paper explains the theoretical bases of each dimension, highlights observable teaching practices linked to each component, and clarifies the framework’s intended purpose. The value of STEPS lies not in proposing a new learning theory but in translating existing research into a clear, actionable structure for faculty, instructional designers, faculty developers, and scholar-practitioners supporting adult online learners. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Brad Garner is the Digital Learning Scholar in Residence at the Office of Academic Innovation at Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU). Before entering higher education, Brad’s career focused on programme and faculty development in K-12 public schools, where he worked as a classroom teacher, school psychologist, and administrator. Brad has been connected with the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience for over 20 years, serving as editor of The Toolbox newsletter. He frequently presents at conferences, workshops, and on college campuses worldwide. He has authored and co-authored numerous articles, including ‘A Brief Guide to Teaching Adult Learners’ (2009), ‘A Brief Guide to Millennial Learners’ (2007), and ‘Teaching the First-Year Seminar’ (2012). His books also include ‘Creating Digital Citizens’ (2016), ‘Engaging Students as Digital Content Curators’ (2019), ‘Inclusive Hospitality in Online Learning’ (2024), ‘Creating the Future You’ (2025), and ‘Improvisation and Spontaneity in Teaching’ (2026). Brad volunteered in a maximum-security prison for 15 years and helps coordinate an IWU programme designed to provide college coursework to incarcerated learners in two Indiana prisons.
Tiffany Snyder serves as Director of Faculty Engagement in the Office of Academic Innovation at Indiana Wesleyan University–National & Global, leading faculty development initiatives for full-time and adjunct faculty across the College of Adult and Professional Studies. Her work focuses on faculty support and the integration of learning technology, with recent initiatives designed to promote clarity, connection, and consistency across courses. Tiffany earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in psychology and leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University, and her doctorate in the integration of psychology, technology, and learning from Grand Canyon University. She has taught psychology, leadership, and business courses and has served in leadership roles in career development and faculty engagement. From 2018 to 2025, Tiffany co-hosted a teaching-and-learning podcast featuring practical conversations with global leaders in higher education. She also serves on technology committees and collaborative teams across higher education, non-profit, and organisational contexts. Her consultation work focuses on technology integration, with attention to people, wellness, and holistic adaptation to emerging developments.
Rick Bartlett serves as the Assistant Director of Faculty Engagement at Indiana Wesleyan University, where his work focuses on faculty development, data, and academic engagement. Prior to this role, he served as a Learning Experience Designer at IWU, supporting effective digital learning experiences. Before joining IWU, Rick served at Tabor College as Associate Dean for the School of Graduate Studies, Associate Professor and Chair of the Bible Department, and Director of Theological Education. He also designed and launched Tabor’s Master of Arts degree in ministry entrepreneurship and innovation, guiding the programme from concept through accreditation and implementation. Rick has taught in undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral contexts, with experience in online learning, leadership, youth culture, vocation, theology, and emerging questions related to work and technology. He currently serves as a research chair for Doctor of Business Administration students and teaches in IWU’s doctoral business programme. While at Tabor, Rick was honoured with the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017. His scholarly and professional work includes conference presentations on teaching, technology, innovation, online learning, and youth ministry. He has presented at Summer Institute for Distance Learning and Instructional Technology (SIDLIT), iTrac, OLC Innovate, and the International Conference on Youth Ministry at Oxford University. His publications include book chapters, journal and magazine articles, curriculum writing, and the co-authored book ‘Consuming Youth: Leading Teens Through Consumer Culture’, published by Zondervan in 2010. Rick earned a Doctor of Ministry in leadership in the emerging culture from George Fox University, a Master of Divinity from Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts from Fresno Pacific College. He also completed a graduate certificate in e-learning and online teaching through Emporia State University and is a certified Yasei Shinrin Yoku guide and practitioner through Wildcraft Forest School. Across his work in higher education, non-profit leadership, teaching, ministry, and programme design, Rick remains interested in helping people cultivate a fuller sense of wisdom, presence, purpose, and connection.
Citation
Garner, Brad, Snyder, Tiffany and Bartlett, Rick (2026, September 1). Operationalising care in adult online learning: The STEPS conceptual framework for translating theory into practice. In the Advances in Online Education: A Peer-Reviewed Journal, Volume 5, Issue 1. https://doi.org/10.69554/GZEY8475.
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