The Virtual Student is an essential resource for online educators working with students in higher education and training settings. The authors offer an overview of the key issues of student online learning and provide a practical guide to working with online students. The book covers a broad range of topics including learning styles, multicultural issues, evaluation, retention, and the challenging problems of plagiarism and cheating.

"Just when you thought you had covered the online teaching waterfront, here come Rena Palloff and Keith Pratt with their most engaging research to date. The Virtual Student enables you to view the entire process through the lens of the learner, and in doing so, to deepen your understanding of online learning dynamics and the results you want to create."
— Kathleen Stinehart, Dean for Academic Outreach, Mary Baldwin College

"A must-read for those who are concerned about issues such as student satisfaction, retention, and attrition in online courses."
— Wilson Azevedo, director, Brazilian Association of Distance Education

"The Virtual Student is well written and documented, with frequent illustrations, examples, quotes from learners, and very useful toolkits for faculty and learners. It is a great read and guide for faculty, designers, administrators, and learners interested in online learning. What they will discover is that this book is really about effective pedagogy, regardless of the setting."
— Michael J. Offerman, president, Capella University