Interactive Classroom Engagement - Virtually!

With several schools and 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 and 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 and knowledge could prevent students from feeling comfortable with their teachers and 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 and 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 and 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.

3.
Use email frequently.
Email is a great way to communicate with students especially in an online classroom environment.

Emails can be sent to the entire class, particular groups or individuals. Class email can be used as a broadcast system for important announcements. Group email can be utilized to guide students and provide feedback on group projects. Individual email can be used for answering individual questions, motivating students, and following up with them. 4.

Participate actively on discussion boards. Most online classrooms have discussion boards of some sort.

While instructors must monitor their students' posts, it can be really beneficial to be active and engaged in the conversation.
You can comment on students' posts with constructive criticism, feedback, or even a few questions that explore or challenge why they have arrived at a certain conclusion. This guides their learning and encourages them to think.
5. Utilize innovative tools.

Some teachers have tried using blogs with their students; everyone interacts and presents work through the blogs.
Pixton lets students make comics or virtual conversations.

Tools like these can really enhance the learning experience and create diversity in projects. 6.
Make use of polls and surveys. Increase the level of interaction in the virtual classroom by conducting polls and surveys.
These tools can be used to collect feedback, make quizzes, or even just for fun.
7. Encourage students.
At the end of the course, send all your students an email or class announcement congratulating them on their achievements throughout the semester. Be sure to end the class on an upbeat note.