Cousins Virtual Jane and Virtual Joe, extraordinary virtual helpers

Higher education institutions deliver web-based learning with varied success. The success rate of distributed online courses remains low. Factors such as ineffective course facilitation and insufficient communication contribute to the unfulfilled promises of web-based learning. Students consequently feel unmotivated. Instructor control and in the courseroom further isolates students, whereas success rate increases when students unite in virtual communities. King (2002) increased student participation in his online classes by creating a virtual student, Joe, as a participating student and supplementary facilitator. This investigation responds to King’s call for further directions on how a virtual helper enhances online facilitation. This inspired our investigation of how Virtual Jane might augment online facilitation. King’s prediction, ‘‘It seems that Joe Bags may have a family in the future,” (p. 164) became a reality in a South African masters’ web-based class on web-based learning. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.