Katherine, Open communication means having a relationship with students that promotes trust and respect. This often comes fr4om the confidence and competence the instructor posseses. But it can also be nurtured through informal discussion and chatting about school matters, or even surface-level personal life, stuff that might suggesty the instructor is just taking an interest in the backsoide of the students life (such as "did you have a good weekend?" or "are you getting enough study time?"). These ramdom comment convey the instructor cares about the student and their success. Barry Westling