I learned that online teaching works only when the instructor refuses to vanish into the digital wallpaper. Presence has to be intentional. It has to be audible in discussion threads, visible in announcements, and felt in the speed and quality of feedback. The module pushes the idea that students need evidence of a real human guiding the course, not a ghostly grader hiding behind the CMS. I plan to apply this by sharpening the opening moves of my courses: front-loading biography, clarifying expectations, and building early rapport so the room doesn’t feel sterile. I’ll treat discussion boards like conversation instead of chore, respond with precision, and use targeted outreach for students drifting toward the margins. The goal is a course where no one feels like they’re shouting into a void.
