Five Easy Ideas that Build Bridges to Your Online Learners | Online Education - Faculty Focus

As an online instructor with many students, it is challenging to remember details about every learner who has passed through my virtual classroom, observes Antone M. Goyak, EdD.

Five Easy Ideas that Build Bridges to Your Online Learners
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But there are some whom I will never forget.

I could sense this student was frustrated early on after the first project when she made some very derogatory remarks about the class, which quickly mushroomed into accusations about our course and the university. I could feel the tensions escalating. I read a lot of “always/never” statements to which I could have responded. But I did not. I could have let her rant and most likely fail herself out of my course. But I chose not to allow that either. Rather, I chose to engage this student head on even though we were in an online platform. I chose to be “present” in her displeasure and build relational bridges.

So here’s an interesting question: How do you effectively connect with students, form relationships, and be present in their lives in an online platform?...

Many studies and articles explore ways to successfully build community and be active in your own online courses. Michelle Pacansky-Brock speaks to its deeply-impacting results:

“When students relate to an online instructor as something more than a subject matter expert and begin to conceive of themselves as part of a larger community, they are more likely to be motivated, be satisfied with their learning, and succeed in achieving the course objectives” (2015)...

So, what happened with my student? I chose to be present with her, be empathic, and be aware of factors outside of our class that were contributing to her angst. It took time, but we made progress. And by the end of the course, I was humbled and grateful to read that I had been the most helpful professor she had in all her graduate work. That I always provided feedback, was encouraging, understanding, and there to help when needed.

I do not write these things to draw attention to my online instruction; rather, these serve as reminders as to what can lead to significant student outcomes. Students need our learning objectives, our content, and our authentic assessments. But mostly they just need us as caring human beings. They need someone who is not going to react to their lives but rather partner with them in their lives. Especially in their struggles.

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Source: Faculty Focus