Using Crisis as an Opportunity to Humanize Your Online Class

With the recent events related to the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few weeks and the uncertain times that lay ahead, I think it would be a good idea to use this time of crisis as an opportunity to humanize our online classes.

As always, my mantra is that communication is king in an online course.

If you communicate effectively and frequently, many other inconsistencies and shortfalls can be overlooked by students. At first, I maintained communication in a very generic format in my online classes. I knew there would be disruptions on campus with face to face classes but that these interruptions would not affect my fully online students. I made sure to communicate this to them, highlighting the fact that all assignment due dates would remain the same. 

However, later that week when hosting a webinar on group assignments in the online class, I mentioned to many of the anxious educators who attended that they should not feel like they have all the answers and to simply communicate with students in a genuine way. "It's ok to let them know you don't have all the answers yet", I stated. "Even telling them that is better than sating nothing."

After that discussion, I wondered to myself why I wasn't taking my own advice! Yes, I communicated with my students frequently, but the quality of that communication was lacking a human quality. Why not let the students know that I understand this is a difficult time? Why not show compassion and concern? 

Having a human connection and creating a true feeling of community in my online classes is always a goal of mine and I almost let a wonderful opportunity to accomplish this goal pass by in a most unfortunate way.

I immediately went into my course and sent out an announcement just briefly acknowledging the difficulties we are all currently faced with and letting my students know that they can reach out to me with any concerns and encouraging them to be a resource to each other. 

While my brief note was only a few sentences, it made me feel much better, and I am sure it meant a lot to my students as well. One student even reached out to say thank you for the kind note. I am sure that this will only be the first of many similar notes over the next few weeks but I am glad I was able to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with students. 

Have you acknowledged the difficulties students might be currently experiencing during this crisis?  Please take a moment to share your efforts to connect with students during this time in The Online Educator Facebook Group by clicking the link HERE. Also, as a treat don’t forget to GRAB YOUR FREE GUIDE to the 3 Secrets to Teaching Online Successfully.