Communicating with students
Informing students clearly and effectively is very important for successful online studying. Students must know what to do and when. It is needed to send timely information and distribute it via appropriate channels to your students. And of course, students will communicate with you through various channels. In online teaching even more. So prepare well to take care of the information stream. Are you ready for it?
On this page we describe several strategies and aspects that you can keep in mind when contacting your students and how they contact you.
The way to do this #1:
Set up your Canvas course following the guidelines of Canvas Student Friendly Links to an external site., to ensure students can find all information in your course easily.
Set up your Canvas course following the guidelines of Canvas Student Friendly Links to an external site., to ensure students can find all information in your course easily.
The way to do this #2:
Publish your Canvas course and syllabus at least 1 week before the first meeting. All deadlines and meetings should be clear and shouldn't change during the course.
Publish your Canvas course and syllabus at least 1 week before the first meeting. All deadlines and meetings should be clear and shouldn't change during the course.
The way to do this #3:
Be clear about how you want to be contacted by your students. For example, by email, Canvas messages, a discussion board in Canvas, etc. It's a good idea to just choose 1 way, so students know exactly what to do.
Be clear about how you want to be contacted by your students. For example, by email, Canvas messages, a discussion board in Canvas, etc. It's a good idea to just choose 1 way, so students know exactly what to do.
The way to do this #4:
Also make sure students know how to contact each other. The best way is to give students in the beginning of the course some time to start a Whatsapp group or include students to an old group other students are already in. Make sure all students are included.
Also make sure students know how to contact each other. The best way is to give students in the beginning of the course some time to start a Whatsapp group or include students to an old group other students are already in. Make sure all students are included.
Good practice
Pitfalls
- It is very important for students to know that you care. Reusing old recorded lectures and giving an exam at the end, is not good online education. Students need to see you. This is the only way for them to feel connected with their study, their fellow students and this gives them stimulation and motivation to do the work. This is why it's a good idea to:
- put a picture of yourself on the homepage of your Canvas course;
- film a short introduction vlog welcoming the students;
- always show yourself in recorded lectures and knowledge clips;
- organise live (online) meet ups where they can ask questions and get to know the material on a deeper level.
- It is well known that students don't read their VU email regularly, so stimulate them to do this or find other ways to communicate with them. For example, teach students to forward Canvas announcements to their personal email.
- Lastly, don't forget about students studying from abroad. Check the Studying from Abroad tab on this page to learn what you can do.