And there we have it- it’s 2020! We all know what they say about hindsight- it’s 2020. What a great time to reflect… here’s what I’m reflecting on before I catch some much needed ZZZ’s:

How to Boost Instructor Presence in an Online Course

1. Weekly videos: There is nothing quite like reminding students that there is a friendly face behind the course content. A good practice is to make videos as you go (as opposed to making them all in advance or reusing past ones). This allows you address specific weekly events like what your students commonly struggled with on an assignment or something that’s dominating the news at the moment.

2. Online office hours: Similar to the first point, except maybe even better. If you set up a certain time when students can find you, it may allow you to address a whole lot of confusion in one shot. One way communication (such as a video) can be frustrating, so this is a great way to get a live back and forth happening to clear up issues.

3. Communication options: I know it can be unnerving to give out your phone number (even asking for one is rough, but I digress). However, you should give your learners a bunch of communication options, such as email, online chat, Skype, and perhaps even phone. This encourages students to keep in contact with you and allows them to choose the medium they feel most comfortable with.

4. Active discussion: Sometimes forums get real quiet and boring. That’s just a fact. You want to be in the action posting with the students (and encouraging them to stay engaged), especially if things slow down. However, be careful. You don’t want to completely dominate the discussions as an instructor, as that can establish you as an overwhelming authority figure in the learning community. This can cause students to shy away or simply wait for the instructor to address all issues.

5. Monitoring learners: The first four points here have all been about the instructor remaining visible in an online course. But, this is not the only way to let students know you’re around. Sometimes, it’s more appropriate (and effective) to connect with a student one-on-one. If you observe someone struggling in the course or disengaged, shoot them an email and see what’s going on. Chances are, you can do something to help the student succeed, but the student may never reach out to you him/herself.

And… I’m gonna end with something I really want to see this year: