Overview

One important aspect of teaching is forming a connection with students so that they feel the instructor values their learning. The National Survey of Student Engagement listed instructor and student interaction as one of their “powerful contributors to learning and personal development” [1]. By building a professional relationship with their instructors, students gain the benefit of their teachers’ content knowledge and their expertise on a student’s chosen career. Students who feel personally connected to the instructor also express higher satisfaction with a course and better learning, whether that course is taught face to face or online [2]. Opening the door for students is an easy but powerful way to improve their experience in your class.

For personal assistance in developing and implementing engaging teaching practices, you may request assistance from the Center for Instructional Technology and Training.

Best Practices

 It’s never too early to start making students feel seen and valued in a course by learning more about them. Learn students’ names as early as possible, but if enrollment permits it is also helpful to learn more than that. At the beginning of the term, you may want to ask students to submit a survey with their name as it appears on the roster, their pronouns, their preferred name and its pronunciation, and any other information you need to know. This is a great opportunity to ask them what they hope to learn from the course, what (if any) past experiences they have had with the content matter, or what their career goals are. Asking students what they hope to learn in a course and what they will do with the skills and knowledge is a great way of making sure they know their instructor cares about their educational experience.

As you learn about your students, it’s also important that they learn a little about you. Use the syllabus, an introductory online module, or the first in-person class session to give students an idea of who you are and your qualifications. A professional biography or a short summary of your accomplishments can help students feel they are in good hands. Information about your teaching philosophy or strategies is also a good thing to share because it allows students to predict what to expect in the course. Last, sharing some personal information such as photos of pets or descriptions of a favorite hobby can humanize an instructor and make students more willing to approach them.

Using humor in class can also create an engaging and motivating environment if the humor is appropriate for a professional setting [2]. For example, jokes about the course content can keep students interested, and a self-deprecating joke can help them forgive a small error.

Application

Teaching a fully online course can add extra considerations, although the general principles remain the same. Utilize tools in the learning management system, or LMS, to communicate with students.

  • Regular announcements to the class or messages to specific people let students know their instructor is checking in regularly.
  • Many LMSs have a way to message students via the gradebook so an instructor can easily touch base with students who are not submitting assignments.
  • If students have online discussion boards, responding to a different student or two each time reinforces the knowledge that their teacher is paying attention to what they say.
  • Giving prompt and substantive feedback on assessments both helps students learn and shows them that you are paying attention to what they submit.
  • Holding virtual office hours via videoconferencing gives any student who feels alone in an online class a way to speak to their instructor in a personal way that mimics face to face communication more closely.

While online courses pose some challenges for ensuring that students feel their teacher is participating, utilizing the LMS tools can help you maintain a solid presence.

References and Additional Resources

Citations

[1] National Survey of Student Engagement’s “Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice.”

[2] LaFave, Daria S., 2016. “What Do Students Value? Exploring Instructor Behaviors in Face to Face and Online Higher Education Classrooms.”

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