Students need to know that you want them to succeed and that you recognize each of them as a unique person with a life. Check-in with the whole class on a regular basis – show that you care for them academically, emotionally, mentally, etc. Make sure students know how to reach out to you.

Announcements

• At the beginning of the course, post a list of campus resource links, as well as a tutorials on receiving course notifications, checking student Email, etc.
• Post weekly announcements, with an overview of the upcoming week:
  • Videos can be particularly helpful to students in understanding the content and making online classes and you more “real”.
• Consider posting multiple announcements per week:
  • Send a reminder the day before homework is due.
    
    

    Dear Everyone, I hope this week has gone well! Just a friendly reminder that homework is due tomorrow night at 11:59 PM :). Best of luck! Professor Smith

  • Wish students a good weekend with a fun/inspirational video, graphic, or animated GIF.
    
    

    Hi All, Happy Friday – you made it through the first week!!  Professor Jones via GIPHY

     

Communication

• Especially at the beginning, post your contact information in multiple places (announcements, faculty information page, grading comments…) and provide various opportunities for support: email, office hours, Zoom, etc.
  
• Grading comments should encourage students to reach out to you for questions.
  
• If a student says that their question is “silly” or “stupid”, counteract that by telling them that all questions are welcome and part of the learning process.
• Reply to message within 24-48 hours.
• Send Kudos messages when students are succeeding in the class or are significantly improving.
• Whenever you are communicating directly with a student, address the student (“Dear Sarah”, “Hi Susan”) and use the student’s preferred name and pronoun.
  
  

• Hi Jane, Just wanted to give you kudos for starting out great in our class! Dr. Smith

   

Actual Student Feedback:

• “ I have never met a teacher that was so eager for me to strive [-] you are very motivating…. “

   

• “ …. [I] could never have kept up without all your help and following up! “

   

• “ I really enjoyed [the] weekly videos that provided a leaping off point…. “    

• “ Thank you so much for the feedback on the assignments! …. [Y]our feedback really helped! “