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TIP 1: Be Present & Visible Online

Research and end of term evaluations show that faculty who regularly update their announcements, engage in discussions, send email reminders, live virtual office hours, and provide detailed and consistent grading feedback develop a stronger online learning community. In the end, it's all about promoting engagement and your digital instructor presence in the course - and being visible "electronically".

How do you do this?

• Create a personal message for your students and a "welcome to my course" Panopto video.

• Add your instructor profile/information in your Blackboard course and include who you are as a person in addition to your “expert” teaching self.

• Create a regular communication cadence or rhythm. Post weekly announcements in your course with prompts and reminders for the week ahead.

• Respond quickly to email and voicemail, these connections can be invaluable to students. Make it a goal to respond within 48 hours.

• Set up a discussion board forum for frequently asked questions, open questions or comments. (You can subscribe to the forum to get an email prompt if a student posts in the discussion forum.)

• Provide timely grading feedback (written or oral/video) to student assignments and graded activities.
   
• Meet LIVE with your students and set up regular times when you can meet in either Blackboard Collaborate Ultra or your GVSU Zoom account during selected office hour times. Turn ON your web cam so your students can see you!

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