Updated: 2 September 2020
Be visible and accessible. Students value seeing teacher presence online. Find ways of making yourself visible and accessible. They need to see that you care.
A short video introducing yourself to students will do more to personalise you than any length of text. Show them as much of yourself as you are comfortable, and use the opportunity to be open about finding yourself teaching in an unfamiliar situation. Students respond well to honesty. Your presence in a classroom gives a subtle message of support and reassurance, so online you need to be explicit that you are still there to support them.
Set expectations around how long they can expect to wait for an individual response by email or Moodle forum. Moodle announcements are a simple means to give timely updates and make yourself visible. A short audio file (podcast) regularly uploaded to Moodle can be an effective means to connect with students and give the brief updates.
Be careful that digital content or technologies do not become a barrier to the human side of teaching. The fact that learning and teaching is taking place online does not alter your role as an expert and educator. Your knowledge and passion for your subject remain at the heart of engaging students in learning.
Principle 12: There Is No One Way >>
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