Utilize tools like biographical sharing to help build trust and increase engagement. Online courses also benefit from personalization and consistent feedback for the students.
I've always enjoyed getting to know my students as individuals and allowing them to know a little bit about me. This helps to provide a trusting relationship in which students feel comfortable coming to me with questions or concerns. I love the idea of using a video or shoulders and up photo. These suggestions make the introductions much more personable.
Engaging with you students is always a plus... I learned from this module to initiate ice breakers so the instructor and students are comfortable.
This module has motivated me to incorporate a professional photo to a biography with credentials and professional achievements as a useful method to form student connections while projecting expertise/authority.
I have learned the importance of maintains presence and authority when teaching an online course. Some of the ways to do so is to regularly post reminders of assignment deadlines and engage through discussion questions. To help each student learn more about one another, have each student write a short biography of themselves.
I love the idea that having students post a short introductory biography of themselves is just as important as instructors doing this.
Well for me to help to develop a connection with my students is to be open and honest and to maintaining a professional atmosphere..
A great way to show authority as an instructor is to provide students with a short biography of myself. As far as showing my presence of engaging online would be to communicate with students by sending out notifications of when assignments are due, or important projects.
In the freshman orientation course I teach each term, I always have students introduce themselves orally for my on-ground course, but I don’t stress the need for them to compose a biography in the LMS for me to see. I think this would be an excellent idea; they can add it to the shells of their subsequent courses. Additionally, as I move into teaching asynchronous courses without live sessions, it would be an effective tool for bridging the communication gap that may sometimes happens in online courses.
It's important for students to know about you as the instructor by presenting a brief bio, credentials, background with education/achievements, how to be addressed and other expectations. Getting to know students through their personal bios is critical as well; ensure that you provide positive feedback to improve student/instructor engagement to each student's response.
It's really important to keep moral and engagements between students and instructors
Developing a connection with my students, but maintaining a professional atmosphere.
It can be difficult to connect with students in an online environment so instructors must make a special effort to know the individuals on the other side of the keyboard and be very accessible about their qualifications, expectations and experience to show more personality.
Since my students see me in person I give them my bio verbally. I think it would be nice to add that to canvas just so the students entering have that information.
Also, regarding projecting one's authority online as an instructor was helpful.
To effectively project my presence in an online teaching environment, utilization of the following techniques I would implement would be the following:
- implementing introductory videos
- using active body language during live sessions
- incorporating personal anecdotes
- regular engagement with students through discussion boards
- feedback
Being authentic, using a warm tone, and sharing relevant experiences help create a connection with students. This can be done through video introductions, storytelling, and personalized feedback.
I've learned to remain professional at all times. Never give too much personal information. Always address students in their proper pronouns and respect for each individual.
A great percentage of education is relationship building. The types of relationships we build with our scholars is an integral part to the success of the class. The module gave great examples of how to build those relationships in an online setting.
I learned how important it is to ingage with the students in things like their discussions
