The purpose of this case study was to explore the application and outcome of appreciative andragogy as an online instructional strategy for the development of adult learner motivation, engagement, and performance. Appreciative andragogy was an original phrase developed for this study and is an adaptation of appreciative inquiry. The concept of appreciative inquiry has been successfully utilized within organizations to facilitate organizational change and development, while enhancing employee motivation, engagement, and performance. There is little research concerning the application of appreciative inquiry to an academic environment, especially within an online classroom environment. Elements of appreciative inquiry were adapted as appreciative andragogy and implemented as an instructional strategy within an online classroom environment, within undergraduate and graduate online classrooms, as a means of having a positive influence on the students' motivation, engagement, and performance in the class. Appreciative andragogy was developed as an instructional strategy and could be utilized in any online classroom environment, regardless of the subject matter. The use of appreciative andragogy provided a language and a structure for the participants to develop effective working relationships with their students, while addressing the students' developmental needs, which also enhanced the participants' virtual presence as an instructor. The appreciative inquiry model was adapted for this study and utilized over a four-week implementation period. The participants worked with selected students from their online class and measured their motivation, engagement, and performance levels before and after implementing appreciative andragogy. The findings of this study indicate that appreciative andragogy can be applied as an instructional strategy and it holds the potential to have a positive impact on adult learner motivation, engagement, and performance. An analysis of the dataindicated that through an enhanced virtual presence the participants developed effective working relationships with their students, which allowed them to learn about their students' hopes, dreams, and goals, while suggesting resources and strategies to address their developmental needs. This results of this study further indicated that appreciative andragogy had a positive effect on an online learning classroom environment and that appreciative andragogy had an ability to take the distance out of distance learning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]