Teacher Presence

What is it?

Presence in a Distance Learning format that is different from face-to-face teaching. Presence can be most simply described as “being there,” and refers to the degree to which you feel that you and the people you are working with are “real.

Why is it important?

Compared to face-to-face courses, presence in an online and remote course must be deliberately created It is important for students to feel the presence of their instructor as well as of other students online, which can help prevent feelings of isolation and promote motivation. It's especially critical as we think about the isolation that social distancing, school closure, and abrupt change has brought about.

How can I create a presence online?

  • Ask students to share something about themselves and have a voice as you reunite.

  • Send regular announcements let the learners know that you are there. Consider “checking in” online more often, but for smaller amounts of time (daily for 15 minutes for example) to join the discussion, answer any queries, and guide the students.

  • Call students who are quiet or not showing a presence in the community; help them feel seen.

  • Prepare discussion posts that invite responses, questions, discussions, and reflections. Model for students how to participate in an online discussion and clarify discussion guidelines in order to nurture a rich conversation online.

  • Schedule synchronous interactions outside of class time, such as online office hours and question-and-answer sessions, using WebEx, group emails, Google Classrooms.

Digital Tools: Prepare the technological supports for instruction by reviewing the tools available for enabling your teaching in a Distance Learning format. Now that we are developing confidence in Google Classroom and WebEx as teachers and learners, you may want to refine and adapt how you are using those tools. Can you vary instruction by using a screencast or flipgrid? Can you assess using a poll or Google forms? Can you rewatch some of the digital tools modules to see other options within WebEx, Google Classroom, or ask peers what they are using?

Communicate: Make your plans clear; how will you communicate with your students and how should they communicate with you?