As a brand new semester starts, it is important to consider how you will build community in your online classroom. Since there is little to no face-to-face interaction in an online setting, building a classroom community and culture is a deliberate process that begins with course design. There are various methods to building a community through your course design starting with meaningful introductions that are supported by back channel communication and accessible resources.
A meaningful introduction can establish the communication standard and culture within your course. Your course design should be set up in a way that introduces the students to the content of the course and all those participating in it. Including a “welcome” or “start here” module is a great way to build this introduction.
Include a personal introduction so your students can get to know you. A quick biography and something that makes you relatable will go a long way in an online classroom. Finally, build in a learner introduction section where you can get to know who you are teaching and they can get to know one another. A great tool for these introductions are discussion boards on Canvas. You can ask basic background questions or spice it up by asking students questions that are unique to the course.
After introductions are over it is necessary to make sure communication channels for your students do not fade away. Back channel communication that allows you to be accessible and allows students to collaborate is important to their confidence and engagement in the course. According to
Demian Hommel, PhD, and Bradley Cohen, PhD, back channels are the key to building a classroom community. Students can use these channels to share content, ask anonymous questions, and contribute their personal thoughts. A back channel such as an anonymous discussion board will shape the culture of your online classroom. You can facilitate this back channel in whichever way you think is most constructive but some examples are creating a classroom hashtag, always using the zoom chat feature, and a well developed discussion board that stays open during the entire term.
Be sure to make resources accessible. Your course should be designed in a way that details where students can find university resources as well as course specific resources. Whether you put these resources in the syllabus or design a separate module for them is up to you but make sure they are clear and easy to navigate to. Don’t forget that as the instructor you are a resource yourself. Building a community online starts with your learners being comfortable with using you as a resource for course content or outside issues. Establishing clear office hours where students can ask their questions or receive extra help builds classroom camaraderie and can help with student confidence. Being a responsive and helpful resource in an online teaching environment is essential to deliberately building a community for your learners.
Join this training to learn more about Kaltura, our video storage solution! Whether you have a specific question or want a Kaltura topic demonstrated, this training opportunity is your time to work with one of our Kaltura admins. When registering, choose whether to have a specific topic covered, enter your question, or both.
Facilitated by our Learning Tech Team.
Registration: Quick Hits: Kaltura Basics.
Modality: Virtual and synchronous—an Outlook Calendar invite, with the Zoom link, will be sent.
Join us for a workshop focused on alignment and learning objectives! The workshop will cover the importance of writing clear learning objectives and aligning your course objectives, assignments, and activities. When registering, choose whether to have a specific topic covered, enter your question, or both.
Facilitated by Leslie Fuller, Ph.D., Digital Learning Strategist.
Registration: Workshop Wednesday: Learning Objectives and Course Alignment.
Modality: Virtual and synchronous—an Outlook Calendar invite, with the Zoom link, will be sent.
Review our Spring 2024 Events Calendar to see what Online Instruction Development opportunities await!
We have a robust lineup of topics and live training formats to support your use of Canvas and other e-learning tools. Topics cover demonstrations of using Kaltura, presentations on group assignments in online courses, and workshops to get your Canvas site ready to teach!
All of our live training is recorded. Registrants will automatically receive a link to that day’s video after it has been processed.
Contact Millie Tullis with any questions regarding these sessions.
Clemson Online – Where Tech and Teaching Meet
Designing engaging student discussion boards according to best practices will set you up for a more productive experience.
Social presence relies on the establishment of affective expression, open communication, and group cohesion.
Discussion board groups are an easy way to break up a large classes and connect students to the course.
