Engagement Series: Student-Instructor Engagement

This is the fourth and final piece in a series exploring different types of course engagement. This piece focuses on how course developers and instructors can foster student-instructor engagement in online courses.

A crucial element of student engagement is building a relationship with the instructor. The lack of physical presence in online courses can lead learners to feel isolated from the instructor and their peers (Oyarzun et al., 2018). This means that instructors must be intentional in establishing and maintaining a presence in an online course in order to build relationships. Student-instructor engagement can be fostered through the development of course content and thoughtful communication, including individualized feedback, class announcements, and instructor participation in course discussion forums.

Strategies for fostering student-instructor engagement are explored below.

Students value the energy and enthusiasm that instructors naturally bring to face-to-face lessons (Tichavsky et al., 2015). When teaching in person, instructors are easily able to communicate both their expertise on and their excitement for the course content, which can influence students’ own feelings toward their education. Online instructors can certainly emulate these forms of instruction and interaction that are so valuable to students in traditional on-ground classrooms. Instructors can inject their personality into course content by sharing professional contributions to the field or industry, relating professional anecdotes and experiences, and giving personal advice about the course or field of study.

To achieve this goal, consider the following:

• Record an informal welcome video for students to view when they begin the course.
• Share professional anecdotes and experiences. Consider adding a recurring “stories from the field” feature throughout the course to connect your professional experiences with module topics.
• Don’t be afraid to add a bit of humor and personality when developing course content.
• When developing introductory content for the course and modules, find and implement the “hooks” that will pull students into the topics and foster engagement.

As the instructor, you play a key role in intentionally building community in your course. An important factor in courses with a high sense of community is the role of the instructor as a positive force in the course (Ouzts, 2006). Instructors encourage learning through the facilitation of discourse, such as adding comments on discussion boards to raise additional questions, redirect topics, and pull students into the conversation (Fiock et al., 2021). Students look to the instructor to set the tone and tenor of the class. Take some time to reflect on the culture you would like to cultivate in the online learning space, and then create a communication plan that will foster your intended culture and community among students.

To achieve this goal, consider the following:

• If you want the culture to be curious and exploratory, regularly post supplemental resources and thought questions via announcements or in a discussion. Spark the conversation for students!
• If you want the culture to be collaborative, model collaborative communication. Set up optional office hours to encourage students to use their resources when tackling challenges. Provide guidance and support for students as they complete collaborative activities and assessments.
• As the course progresses, periodically assess the course community and adjust your communication plan accordingly. 

Cultivating social presence in an online course can help build trust and a feeling of togetherness (Leslie, 2020). Online courses require students to be more autonomous when navigating learning, but this doesn’t mean that the instructor is no longer needed or doesn’t play an integral role in the learning process. One crucial component of student-instructor engagement is instructor feedback. In online courses, students expect feedback from instructors that is timely, detailed, and personalized (Martin & Bolliger, 2018). As the instructor, it is important to communicate regularly with students individually and at a class level. Provide regular communication and feedback that guides students through the learning process while also allowing them to connect with you as a human on the other side of the screen.

To achieve this goal, consider the following:

• Record audio or video clips when providing student assignment feedback, rather than always relying on written feedback.
• Post announcements that support student learning. Include timely reminders or helpful clarifications in your announcements.
• Participate in discussions to help guide the class conversation. Share additional resources or information that will spark further discussion among students.

The structure and nature of online courses necessitate purposeful fostering of student-instructor engagement. This begins during course content creation, through the thoughtful inclusion of elements that allow students to get to know their instructor’s personality and expertise. Fostering student-instructor engagement continues during live course facilitation through regular instructor communication and feedback. All of these strategies can help foster community and support students as they work toward achieving course learning outcomes.

Fiock, H., Maeda, Y., & Richardson, J. C. (2021). Instructor impact on differences in teaching presence scores in online courses. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 22(3), 55–76.

Leslie, H. J. (2020). Trifecta of student engagement: A framework for an online teaching professional development course for faculty in higher education. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 13(2), 149–173.

Martin, F., & Bolliger, D. U. (2018). Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of engagement strategies in the online learning environment. Online Learning, 22(1), 205–222.

Ouzts, K. (2006). Sense of community in online courses. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 7(3), 285–296.

Oyarzun, B., Barreto, D., & Conklin, S. (2018). Instructor social presence effects on learner social presence, achievement, and satisfaction. Tech Trends, 62(6), 625–634.

Tichavsky, L. P., Hunt, A. N., Driscoll, A., & Jicha, K. (2015). “It’s just nice having a real teacher”: Student perceptions of online versus face-to-face instruction. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 9(2), Article 2.