With the mass transition to teaching online, connecting with students becomes more vital than ever. Our students need to
know we remain present even as we all practice social distancing. We need to ensure students
can understand assignment instructions, find the materials they are looking for, and get help when they need it. However, we don’t want our time to be consumed with replies to students at all hours of the day. Here are some important ways to stay connected, yet manage your time well:
- Offer regular office hours through Zoom where students can directly ask questions and interact with you. Plan to work on email and grading during this time because like real office hours, you may not always have visitors.
- Getting the same question over and over? Create a template response, a FAQ page, or a news item in D2L.
- Having a hard time keeping all your students straight? Create a Student Information Chart to help you remember personal details and notes to personalize your communications.
