It is recommended for an instructor to create a biography which includes credentials to build rapport and show the students your competency. Set aside time frame for students to be able to reach out when in need of help. Set reminders for upcoming assignments can help navigate you during the online course.
Going through each student’s profile and get familiar with their background can help in online learning. Creating a more personal connection to help them feel like we are also people not just instructors.
Creating a human connection with your students that goes beyond the academic relationship goes a long way. In our field, and in our industry, many of our students come to us in an attempt to acquire a life structure they do not have at home.
Comment on Ami Petrulak's post: Building a genuine connection with students is key. Having everyone share a short bio is a great way to break the ice and create a sense of community early on. It also helps you learn more about their backgrounds and interests, which can make your interactions more meaningful. Reaching out individually to students who seem disengaged is also important—approaching those conversations with tact and understanding can make them feel supported rather than singled out, and often encourages them to participate more.
I learned engaging with your students and getting to know them is crucial to building rapport. Doing intros/bios or having an engaging video can help build a relationship between staff and other students.
What is important is that you establish a rapport with the students. You can create a short bio, as well as have them create a short bio and have each of the students share theirs with each other. If there are students who are not engaged, you can send them a personal email, using diplomacy when talking with them.
How important it is to engage with your students. When teaching online make it interesting to the class, teaching strategies are very important.
This module showed me how important it is to be visible and engaged in an online course. Simple things like participating in discussions, responding quickly, and reaching out to students can make a big difference. I plan to stay more active and consistent so students feel supported.
Giving background info for both you and your students allows a way for everyone to be comfortable with each other.
Projecting your presence, so that the environment although virtual can have the human component.
Making yourself visable to your students. Via voice/video conversations, being responsive to all communication in a timely manner. A Bio about yourself and your experience. Having discussion boards and being responsive and engaging in your communication.
Building connections online matters. Instructors should share about themselves and encourage students to do the same, creating relationships, trust, and a more supportive learning environment.
connect to your students by your profile
You should post an introduction of yourself for the students.
Introductions are very important to learn about each other and begin to establish a relationship to teach.
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.
