Establishing instructor presence is critical to be successful in teaching online. Whether you are teaching a large lecture class or a small seminar, instructor-to-learner interaction is a key component to building a learning community and to helping your students persist in the course and achieve the course outcomes [1]. In a face-to-face classroom, your physical presence assures students that they can connect with you, an assurance which can be challenging to create in the online environment where students feel more isolated. The best online classes incorporate strategies and instruction that facilitate interactions between students and instructor to produce the best environment for student learning.
Here are five practical strategies that can promote instructor presence in an online course.
Create a Welcome Video or Page
Creating an introduction video or a page that includes a brief overview of the course, your contact information, and any recommended activities to prepare for the course is a great way to start the semester. You can create an introduction using a course site page, an Announcement, or a video using a recording tool such as Kaltura Capture. Consider including some personal information and sharing your background, expertise, favorite books, hobbies, or interests in a welcoming manner. This can help students identify with you as an expert and as an individual; it can also show your students that you are approachable and interested in their learning. An example of a welcome video is the introduction that Dr. Brenda Gunderson of the Statistics Department, created. View Introduction to Stats 250 or her new youtube video for Spring 2020: Stats 250 Spring 2020 Hello
Communicate Regularly
Announcements and Email are among the easiest to use tools, to communicate with your class. Announcements can be scheduled in advance, and will remain in the course site for later reference. Post a weekly announcement with course updates, upcoming assignments, and to handle any general class housekeeping. Use email or Canvas inbox to address any private or individual one-one-one topics. Try to keep the message concise and focused, as many students use the Canvas app on their phone, and will be reading on a small screen. Don’t be afraid to include a little humor, though!
Hold Online Office Hours
Office hours are the best opportunity students have to meet with you face-to-face, and discuss the course content, assignments, and individual concerns. Office hours can be held online by videoconference tools such as Conferences, Zoom, and Bluejeans. View Videoconference Tool Comparison Chart if you’d like some assistance in choosing a particular tool.
Provide Feedback and be Present in Online Discussions
Consider providing regular feedback to individual students on their work, to keep them on track. You can add text comments as well as video or audio feedback right from the Speedgrader online grading interface. Likewise, be sure to provide feedback on students’ posts to the discussion forums; studies suggest that students respond positively when instructors are involved in class discussions and rate this as a strong indicator of presence [4]. If you don’t want to comment directly, consider making a ‘roundup’ post after each discussion, mentioning specific points of interest.
Monitor Student Progress
Monitor your students’ overall activity, and pay attention if a student suddenly seems absent from class or misses an assignment. Use either email or the “Message students who” feature in the Canvas gradebook to reach out to those students.
If you'd like assistance in planning out how to communicate and engage with your students in an online course, contact the Learning and Teaching Technology Consultants today for an appointment! We are available at LSATechnologyServices@umich.edu.
References
Stavredes, T., & Herder, T. (2014). A guide to online course design: Strategies for student success. John Wiley & Sons.
How to Be a Better Online Teacher by Flower Darby- Chronicle of Higher Education Advice Guide.
Establishing an Online Presence- John Hopkins
Instructor Presence in the Online Class – Key to Learner Success by Debbie Morrison- Online learning insights.
