I realized that I needed to share more of myself to the students so that they are aware of my background, credentials and experience. In addition, I also need to know more about them so that it is a two-way street to strengthen how we can communicate with each other. By learning more about each other can lead to trusting and building a relationship that can assist in mutual respect.
Posting a bio helps build report amongst the students and the instructor so everyone can get to know each other.
I great way to make my presence felt in the class is responding to discussions and making announcements.
It's important to make your lecture material relevant to real-world applications. I often recall personal experiences in my clinical career to make the course content relatable. I try to explain to students how a theoretical concept could apply to them in real life.
How important it is to post biography of yourself and engaging the students to do the same. This eases tension a student may have doing online learning.
If students are informed about you and your expertise, they will feel more protected in an unfamiliar environment such as online classes. They are hesitant if they have never done it before and they need to have assurance that you will guide them and not leave them hanging.
I learned a great way to interact and gain student trust is through engagement and interaction in discussions. Additionally, providing student information on our experience and credentials can be beneficial as well.
The importance of my presence as an online instructor.
Posting a bio to allow students to get to know you/your experience is a way to project yourself.
I learned that projecting authority at the beginning of an online section/semester is critical for earning the student's attention and respect. Utilizing a combination of credentials while remaining personable (e.g. share hobbies) are effective ways to do this.
Comment on Lisa Brown's post:
Developing trust and respect in an online format can be done through sharing teaching experiences and credentials with students. This will reinforce their confidence in their professor guiding class content and interactions.
As I am taking this course, I am actively applying it to an online course for my students. Not being afraid to be a little personal online is important for connect, trust of learning, and recall for the students. Demonstrating appropriate instructor-student boundaries while also being personable is encouraged. Also important to note to keep friendly items posted in a different location than assignments and discussion boards.
We learned some approaches to building a good relationship with learners and injecting confidence in them
In this course it is important to be sensitive to concerns learners express and questions they raise, and be consistent in the manner in which you provide timely feedback.
I’ve learned how important it is for both myself and the students to get to know more about each other in order to develop trust between us and to feel confident that I have the qualifications to teach them the information.
Having a short biography at the course beginning can be useful for students to put a person behind the name.
I learned that one of the most effective ways to begin building an e-learning community is to ask students to post a short biography of themselves. I will start to do this when a new cohort starts.
I find that I have to respond as an individual one on one and have discussions with my students close to the week that is ending.
Although a different environment, there are ways to lead the classroom and connect with the students online.
This module helped communicate and give ideas on how a professor can make their presence known. I like the idea of making videos rather than just typing up an announcement and I may try that next time.
