With several schools & colleges moving towards exclusively online classrooms, instructors are facing the challenge of how to best manage these virtual classrooms. After all, they’re very different from a conventional classroom setting.One of the most notable differences is the lack of daily in-person interaction among the teacher & students. In an online classroom, the teacher may be little more than a name on a computer screen, which can be intimidating to some students as they would not understand their instructor’s personality or demeanor to the same extent as they would in an offline classroom.
This lack of familiarity & knowledge could prevent students from feeling comfortable with their teachers & perhaps even stop them from doing things such as emailing them to ask questions about an assignment or requesting help with a technical problem.Social presence is a must in virtual classrooms, and below are seven ideas teachers can try with their students.1. Post a welcome letter to your students on the online course homepage at the beginning of the semester. This can help them feel engaged with you & the class as they are sensing your presence right away even though they’re not seeing you face to face.2. Introduce yourself. A personalized introduction can make a good first impression on your students. Be creative; your introduction can be a picture & a short biography describing your likes, dislikes, personality, etc. You can even provide a link to your homepage if you have one or include an audio or video clip.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6220063
