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.
include bio personal experience and learn about students.
Online presence is established by the instructors' online participation through emails, discussions, announcements, and feedback. More communication is needed in an online course to establish relationships.
I learned that it is important not only to post about yourself but to have students post about themselves as well. This can help foster a relationship.
It is important to share our background and learn a little about our online students.
What I Learned About Projecting Your Presence in Online Teaching
In this module, I learned that projecting your presence (also called instructor or teaching presence) is essential in the online environment because students can't physically see or sense you the way they can in a traditional classroom. The course emphasized transitioning traditional classroom strategies—such as using your voice, body language, and immediate interactions—into digital tools that build authority, approachability, and connection. My key takeaways include:
- Humanizing yourself early and often: Start with a welcoming video introduction where students can see your face, hear your voice, and get a sense of your personality and expertise. This sets a relational tone right away.
- Being consistently visible and responsive: Regular announcements, timely replies to questions (with a clear response timeline), and active participation in discussion boards signal that you're engaged and "present" in the course.
- Using multimedia thoughtfully: Incorporate short video or audio feedback on assignments instead of just text. This adds warmth and clarity while demonstrating that you're paying close attention to each learner's work.
- Building community while maintaining authority: Combine clear organization and structured expectations (which project competence) with personal touches like addressing students by name, sharing relevant professional examples, and encouraging interaction. The goal is to come across as both an expert guide and a supportive facilitator.
- Social and cognitive presence matter too: Projecting presence isn't just about being "nice"—it's about fostering a learning community where students feel seen, supported, and motivated to engage deeply with the material.
- The module did a great job bridging face-to-face techniques to e-learning realities, reminding us that even asynchronous courses benefit enormously from deliberate efforts to "show up" as a real person.
How I Intend to Apply This
In my upcoming online courses (especially in health-related programs), I plan to:
- Create a short, energetic welcome video for Week 1 that includes a quick personal introduction, my professional background, and why I'm passionate about the subject.
- Schedule and announce regular "virtual office hours" via video chat, plus post weekly video announcements summarizing key points or addressing common questions.
- Shift at least some of my assignment feedback to video or audio comments to make it more personal and encouraging.
- Actively participate in discussion forums by posting follow-up questions and acknowledging strong student contributions by name, this will help build rapport without dominating the conversation.
- Set and communicate a clear response time policy (e.g., "I reply to emails and posts within 24-48 hours on weekdays") so students know they can count on my presence. I believe these small but consistent actions will reduce feelings of isolation in the online space and improve student engagement and retention.
What I Learned About Projecting Your Presence in Online Teaching
In this module, I learned that projecting our presence (also called instructor or teaching presence) is essential in the online environment because students can't physically see or sense you the way they can in a traditional classroom. The course emphasized transitioning traditional classroom strategies to include using our voice, body language, and immediate interactions into digital tools that build authority, approachability, and connection. My key takeaways include:
- Humanizing ourselves early and often: Start with a welcoming video introduction where students can see your face, hear your voice, and get a sense of your personality and expertise. This sets a relational tone right away.
- 'Being consistently visible and responsive: Regular announcements, timely replies to questions (with a clear response timeline), and active participation in discussion boards signal that you're engaged and "present" in the course.
It’s about being visible, consistent, and engaged so students feel connected to the instructor. Presence is built through timely communication, clear expectations, and meaningful interaction, especially in discussion boards and feedback.
Building relationships is important from Day #1. I believe students will work harder and be more invested if they feel cared about in a genuine way. I like the idea of connecting personally with each student connecting to their Bio's. With this connection, students will feel more comfortable expressing their needs before they feel frustrated.
This module included tips on what to include in your bio and in what structure.
the importance of bio to help with your introduction.
We should be ready to initiate and lead the discussions. Help build a relationship by engaging with the students in the discussion, and not just reading it. Give feedback in a timely manner.
You should post a biography of yourself as a way of connecting with the students.
It is very important to find ways to connect with the online learner and to allow for the on line learners to connect with each other
I am be present, responsive, and organized to ensure all student feel visible and supported. This will gain respectful boundaries in an online classroom environment.
Extremely important to engage the students.
I think it is important as an instructor to be actively engaged in the learning process and being available for students.
I will be sure to post a bio of myself to include hobbies. I will also post a message for students to reach out to me and tell me something about themselves they would like me to know.
Make feel the students comfortable and close among the participants, is a very strong way to mark the presence.
