Nurturing Social Presence: Humanizing Your Online Classroom
Practical Strategies for Authentic Connection and Engagement in Virtual Learning Spaces
Yesterday, we kicked off the next phase of our Community of Inquiry (CoI) Professional Learning Community, focusing on social presence—a cornerstone of effective online teaching. Thank you to everyone who contributed your energy, ideas, and questions!
But let’s pause for a moment: What does being socially present in an online environment mean? 🤔
As I began to research more about being socially present in online learning, one idea stood out: the importance of humanizing online learning. In an article by Oregon State University, they discuss the three pillars of humanizing online learning: Presence, Empathy, and Awareness. For this issue, let’s zoom in on the first pillar: Presence.
How to Cultivate Presence in Your Online Classroom!
👩🏫 Be Authentically You
Show your personality! Share stories, use humor, and create personalized video messages to make your students feel connected to you.
Example: Start your week with a short video update about what’s ahead and highlight student successes from the previous week. For those that use primarily text in their MMMs consider adding in a video.
💬 Stay Accessible and Responsive
Make students feel heard by responding to questions and discussion posts promptly.
Tip: Set a 24-48 hour response time policy for emails, messages, and feedback, and let students know when you’re available for live office hours.
📹 Use Video and Multimedia
Seeing your face and hearing your voice can create a stronger sense of presence.
Ideas: Record short instructional videos, give feedback via video comments, or host live sessions to interact in real-time.
💡 Create Interactive Activities
Design activities where students interact with both you and their peers.
Examples: Live breakout room discussions, peer reviews, and collaborative assignments using tools like Padlet, Nearpod, or Google Docs.
📝 Personalize Feedback
Address students by name and reference specific details in their work. This shows you’re paying attention and value their efforts.
🗣️Your Voice Matters!
As we continue building this community, your feedback and experiences are invaluable. Please leave a comment below to share what worked for you—or what didn’t—so we can learn together.
Here’s to making online learning personal, connected, and engaging for everyone!
I recorded this short Zoom video. Bene Barlat [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mmgkhS_litMjJYOHxnW1pQqekAVhQ_b2/view?usp=sharing]