Building Purposeful Connections in Online Classes: Practical Strategies for Student Engagement

As instructors, we want to share the love of learning and teaching with our students. How can we connect with students and provide personalized, authentic learning experiences in an online environment? Grounded in research and based on experiences in a range of classes (from 100-level to graduate courses), this presentation will share practical strategies for building meaningful connections. Participants will gain: 

• Effective approaches that don’t require a lot of extra time and work.  

• Tested methods (we learned through trial and error so you don’t have to!) for meaningful connection. 

• Techniques not reliant on advanced technology (which can overwhelm students). 

• Strategies to translate classic in-person concepts and tools in the online environment.  

We will discuss methods for establishing credibility and building rapport, tools for conveying transparency in teaching methods, strategies for course customization and student buy-in, and long-term effects of meaningful connection. Participants will be invited to ask questions, share ideas, and brainstorm possibilities for implementing strategies in their own courses.