Connecting With Students in Virtual Classes
The lack of real-time face-to-face communication means we have to be strategic about how we create a welcoming course and start building a supportive relationship with our students. Borrowing from the The 4 Connections, here are some simple ways that you can demonstrate humanity in your course. One thing to remember - this is quarter-long endeavor, not just something for Week 1. Pace yourself, and try out different strategies.
Introduce yourself! Your profile, with a picture, helps students get to know you. Add a two- or three- minute video introducing yourself and the class helps your students connect. Start with that, and an email to students before the quarter starts. That goes a long way to alleviating fears.
- How do I edit my profile in my user account as an instructor? Links to an external site.
- How do I select personal pronouns in my user account as an instructor? Links to an external site.
- Creating a Course Introduction/Course Tour
- Launch - Sending a Pre-Course Letter
- Use Remind to Text Your Students from Your Phone Without Providing Your Phone Number
Greet the class! Each day, great each student as they enter your Zoom room. If you're teaching online, greet your students by name when you email or respond to activities in the class.
Do a little research. Print out your roster. Yes, old school printout. Go through the student profiles, or their bios if you did an introductory discussion thread. Make notes, and refer back when you're sending messages to students.
Provide a weekly newsletter, email, or video introduction of the week to come. Acknowledge all the great things that students have already accomplished in your class, and encourage them to keep doing great work. The more you can include student work from the previous week, the more it will engage your students.
Check in with individual students. Canvas gradebook makes it easy to email students Links to an external site. who have not turned in an activity or who have not achieved a specific grade on an assessment. You can let those students know that you are there for them and want them to succeed. Invite them to contact you or to attend your office hours.
Judiciously share parts of your life. Let students see that you're a real person, too. If you're bummed out that you can't go to the Seahawks game because we're all stuck at home, share that. Thrilled that you've kept a plant alive for more than three weeks? Post that! Pose a question in a discussion for students to share their most frustrating thing during the quarter and the things that have brought them the most happiness during the quarter. Don't forget to participate with them!
Practice paradox. Set very clear expectations, but then be flexible with students. Instructors are stressed, too. We give ourselves a day to breathe sometimes, and maybe our students need that day, too. If someone is struggling to turn in an assessment, ask them what they need in order to complete it. Show that you can work with them and the barriers they're facing, and then follow through!
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