WELCOMING & ENGAGING STUDENTS IN THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT 3

Catalog description

This course is designed to equip educators with the skills and strategies necessary to create supportive and inclusive virtual classrooms. It focuses on humanizing online learning environments by fostering socio-emotional connections that enhance student engagement and participation. Students will learn to implement practices that support learner independence and cultivate a community through effective communication, welcoming language, and interactive activities. Special emphasis is placed on overcoming barriers to online student success by designing welcoming introductions, supportive system integrations, and community-building exercises that are mindful of cognitive loads and equity-based expectations. Through practical applications, students will develop and share resources such as introduction videos and engagement plans that demonstrate their understanding of humanizing online education.