For an optimal online experience, instructors should be present and engage in regular and timely communication with their students.
Instructor Presence – Regular and Timely Communication
Instructors should be “present” and communicate frequently with students in the online course. They should monitor student and course activity and communicate regularly about the status of their course and course materials. They should also provide timely, meaningful feedback to course assignments and responses to students’ questions.
Best Practices
- Personalize the course and create a sense of community
- Include a self-introduction and a course overview (note: online courses can be text heavy so explore multiple methods to present information for students to enjoy hearing and seeing their instructor)
- Provide multiple methods for contacting the instructor (e.g., CSUF email, CSUF phone/voicemail, online office hours via Zoom)
- Include instructor response time (e.g., 24 hours, except on weekends)
- Communicate to students instructor expectations for course participation and provide weekly news updates and/or reminders about upcoming assignments, due dates, or announcements summarizing class feedback
- Utilize the TITANium Engagement system to monitor student activity and maintain awareness of non-active students
- Engage in the heightened monitoring of student progress throughout the first few weeks and actively communicate with students when they get behind
- Incorporate consistent instructor-student interaction and feedback
- Engage with students using multiple methods (e.g., discussions, chat, group work, or other tools) to deepen understanding of content
- Facilitate discussions or other forms of interaction effectively (prompt and meaningful); intervene to redirect inappropriate behavior
- Give timely, detailed, and personalized feedback
- Provide feedback early enough for students to adjust/improve their performance
- Assess student learning frequently and in multiple ways (e.g., quizzes, forums, games, self-assessment activities, case scenarios, applied practice problems, projects)
- Provide opportunities for students to give feedback on their course experience during the semester
- Fix courseware glitches, such as broken links, typos, and mistakes, as needed in a timely fashion
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