It should include severalbasic pieces of information:• A time frame for replies to email communicationsand questions posted on discussion forums, withencouragement to ask questions in advance ofassignment due dates• A time frame for providing feedback on assignments• Commentary on how the instructor plans to participatein online asynchronous discussions (e.g., I do readevery post, but will not reply to every post so as not todominate the conversation; I will post a summary ofdiscussion highlights at the conclusion of each unit.)• Commentary on other ways the instructor plans to remainactively involved throughout the course and how urgentor timely information will be communicated (e.g., viaannouncement or email)

Instructor presence is required for social presence to occur, and social presence is necessary for cognitive presence (Akyol & Garrison, 2008; Garrison, et al., 2001; Shea & Bidjerano, 2009).  Furthermore, Shea & Bidjerano (2009) purport that “teaching presence predicts variance in cognitive presences directly” (p. 545). As an example, they found that when the instructor focused and participated in discussion, teaching presence correlated to higher cognitive presence.

Michael Graham Moore (1989), editor of the American Journal of Distance Education since 1987, identifies three distinct types of interaction: learner-to-content, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-learner.  Learner-to-instructor interaction is described as encouraging interest and modeling, organizing information and assessing progress, maintaining individual contact with the learner, interacting frequently, and fostering the learner-to-learner interaction (Moore, 1989).  It is Moore’s (1989) contention that these connections are keys to effective distance learning.

He believed their mission was to guide students to handle social influencers and to foster a continual construction of knowledge.

Despite frustration with the course I was taking for my academic program, I, and my fellow students, began to take charge and support one another as we approached the final weeks of the semester.  While some of us continued to flourish in this newfound community, others appeared lost.  The lack of feedback and direction from the instructor was frustrating with the final project deadline looming.

At its core, instructor presence means being there for your students.

The designer of online courses needs to consider how he or she and others teachinga course will be able to leverage design features such as built-in interactions andavenues for communication

Regularly communicate with the class in a consistent, predictable, and publicmanner, whether in the discussion forums, class e-mails, or announcements(Arbaugh & Hwang, 2006; Lowenthal & Thomas, 2010)• Occasionally send individual e-mails or messages to students (Dunlap &Lowenthal, 2010)• Provide timely and detailed feedback (Borup et al., 2015; Cox et al., 2015; Dunlap& Lowenthal, 2014; Ice et al., 2007)• Have students post assignments in discussion forums rather than in digital dropboxes (Lowenthal & Thomas, 2010)• Self-disclose and share personal stories (Lowenthal & Thomas, 2010)• Address students by name (Rourke et al., 1999

Clearly set expectations and how instructors see their role in class discussions (asDennen, 2005, found, there is not one right way to facilitate discussions) (Shea,Hayes, & Vickers, 2010)• Add humor when appropriate (e.g., post content-related comic strips) (seeGunawardena & Zittle, 1997; Rourke et al., 1999; Sung & Mayer, 2012; Wiseet al., 2004)

to design courses that reflect not only your personality but also,most importantly, your own instructional values

establishing instructor social presence in online courses is find-ing ways to establish one’s personality—or what Dennen (2007) termed persona.

The study reported thetop 10 techniques used by the instructors for establishing their instructor presence as fol-lows: using names (cohesive), using greetings (cohesive), referencing groups (cohesive),acknowledging work (interactive), clarifying for instructional purposes (direct instruc-tion), providing tips for how to succeed in the course (facilitating discourse), providinggeneral information or just-in-time information about the course (design and organiza-tion), offering praise and encouragement (interactive), using unusual punctuation orparalanguage to express nonverbal emotions (affective), and using emphasis to heightenawareness (affective)

investigated instructor social presence in accelerated onlinecourses which the instructors did not design and in which they did not have authoringaccess to the courses. In courses like these, the instructors could only share things aboutthemselves—and that they were “real” and “there”—through the course discussions andthe grade book. In this mixed-methods exploratory study that focused solely on analyzingonline course discussions, Lowenthal found that instructors spent some time establishingtheir own social presence (e.g., greetings and salutations, inclusive language, empathy)but that they quickly shifted their focus from social presence behaviors to teaching pres-ence behaviors (e.g., dealing with course logistics), most likely because of the lack of timein eight-week accelerated online courses

concept of intimacy (Argyle & Dean, 1965), which in instructional terms can be thoughtof as supporting and meeting the needs of individual learners. Although an instructor’ssocial presence, and specifically this type of immediacy and intimacy, depends largelyon teacher-to-student interaction, it also depends on the design and development deci-sions that permeate all aspects of a course, including individual projects or assignments

Likewise, research hasshown that instructor immediacy is important in face-to-face courses (Witt, Wheeless,& Allen, 2004) and online courses (Baker, 2010; Hutchins, 2003), even if it might beaccomplished in different ways.

Research has shown us that students’ relationshipswith faculty have a direct and significant effect on their scholarly engagement

where we see that those who chose a face-to-face class as thebest were both more likely to say the instructor was the most important factor in that selection and morelikely to rank their relationship with the instructor and the instructor’s attitude as important.

. Moore (2013) found thatTD was the single biggest predictor of student satisfaction in online classes, a finding confirmed by morerecent research as well (Weidlich & Bastiaens, 2018). Low online retention rates are explained, in part, bythe potentially high barrier to contact and relationship-building between faculty and students in onlinecourses.

These findings support the need for increased faculty professionaldevelopment in online course design and facilitation focused on student experience as well as facultyexpertise.

However, students responded that instructors matter more in face-to-face courses, where they can establish personal relationships with students, whereas assignments “standin” for instructors in online classes.

Selecting two or three key points (e.g. two stars and a wish; stars & stairs) or connecting to important learning goals will minimize a rambling feedback message or a missed ‘teachable moment.’

Humanizing elements in feedback incorporate the content, strategies, sequence, and tools. Content elements include the focus, function, valence, clarity, and specificity. Feedback strategies incorporate timing, amount, audience, and mode. Considering the sequence for feedback – listening, summarize-explain-redirect-resubmit (SE2R), connecting, creating, and tracking will assist instructors to humanize their actions. A survey of available technologies and tools to create feedback messages with text, graphic, audio, image, and video, and integrated multimodal production technologies is presented. A

we aren’t just trying to replicate some of the humanizing interactions in face-to-face courses (such as: eye contact, nodding, and casual banter). We’re also talking about intentionally creating moments of exchange, feedback, and personal framing for the learning that our students experience.

“[instructor presence is]  the instructor’s interaction and communication style and the frequency of the instructor’s input into the class discussions and communications

You can’t make a student do the work or be successful in your course, but you can let them know you’re there if they need it!

(Flipgrid can help with this!).

Respond within a given time frame. Let students know when they can expect a response from you via email or in the LMS and stick to it. Students should know that they’ll be able to get answers or assistance in a set amount of time.

Even if your course is largely asynchronous, giving students the chance to interact with you and other students in a live format can help them get to know you better and may help many feel more comfortable asking questions. Attendance in these kinds of interactions can be low, despite them being highly beneficial to students, so it’s a smart idea to require that students attend a set number throughout the term.

Some practices that promote instructor presence can include: Sending out welcome letters Posting announcements30 highlighting connections between course content, activities, and assignments Facilitating in-depth thinking through online discussions Providing detailed specific feedback Reaching out to struggling students Making connections to real world applications and providing clarification when needed.

By definition, instructor presence is “the design, facilitation, and direction of cognitive and social process for the purpose of realizing personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomes.”

Instructors’ Perceptions of Instructor Presence in OnlineLearning Environments

Presence

Be easily accessible to your students. Provide multiple regular opportunities for connectionand support via email, virtual office hours, prompt feedback, and virtual study sessions orstudent conferences

A teacher’s presence in learning activities and as part of community in online learn-ing environments is motivational (McIntyre 2011).