Projecting Your Presence | Origin: EL102
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Online Teaching Techniques --> Projecting Your Presence
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
Relationships are step one to successful education. In online classes, I let my pets appear in videos; I post regularly while being very aware of how often my voice appears in relation to how often student voices appear. I use examples from my experience and community.
Have each student post a short biography to introduce themselves.
Be open to connect with your students so they can have sense of being comfortable with you as an instructor.
To connect with students in a virtual/distance learning platform, instructors should take the initiative to create a presence through introductions, biography, and credentials.
Including a video or photo along with your credentials and experience is a great way to connect with students.
Posting a biographic video introduces the instructor to the learners. Having the learners post an introductory post assists in bringing students together. Create a professional environment for the students to learn.
I look forward to engaging with my students and getting to know them personally and as student. It is important for me to understand their interests so I can best weave in their interests into the content being taught.
It's important for the students to be able to connect with the instructor and other students. Posting a short bio is a nice idea. Set expectations and communicate often. Be consistent by sending messages at regular intervals.
I will encourage students to talk about themselves to get to know them better.
To build trust and a good rapport with my students, I can share not only my professional background but a few personal things as well, so my students don't feel too removed from me.
What I have learned is that if I do my bio about myself put my experience and also add some of my personal experiences. So I can bond by more with the students.
Students are more successful when they are confident in their instructor. Feeling seen and heard is an essential component to that confidence. Something as simple as paying attention to the students' initial introduction posts can go a long way in making students feel seen and heard.
I have taught online for a while now, so combining my experience and the knowledge I gained in this module, my biggest takeaway is creating space for students to actively engage in the class and with their classmates and to be approachable. Students need to be comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and sharing their ideas.
How to blend in-person teaching methods with online presence.
One of the things I must work on to make my presence known and consistently felt on a regular basis, is to SCHEDULE REMINDERS! I believe that me using this method will help me, as well as the student to contribute to regular chat discussions.
An instructor's presence in the online learning environment is valuable to the students and makes them feel there is a resource available to them that can assist them through their course. A short biography can help students learn about their instructor, and in turn, instructors should take the time to learn about each of their students by having then post a bio in their first assignment. Creating a place within the CMS for synchronous and asynchronous conversations can help students interact with others in the same learning environment and gives the instructors the ability to help more students at one time with sharing insights and answers to common questions that students may have.
I learned how to keep my presence in the class and be helpful to the students, and I need to know and interact with the students
I particularly liked the ideas of what to post in the first course, then by the first week. I also like personalizing this by establishing rapport, while maintaining professional boundaries.
Comment on Jade Griebeler's post: Good ideas for a foundation. I usually find there are 1 or 2 students that will test boundaries that are set, ex late assignments. On the other hand there are often students in need of assistance because of documented circumstances that are afraid to ask for help. Communication is a constant ebb and flow, trying to find that perfect balance. And sometimes it happens.
