First Impressions and Setting the Tone

Asynchronous: Creating a comfortable environment for learning in Canvas

First Impressions and Setting the Tone

The tone of every class, online or in-person, is set by the individual faculty member. In the online environment, however, it might be difficult for a professor to do this through traditional means - such as classroom seating arrangement, attire, body language, smiles, jokes, speaking tone, style, etc. So it is important to deliberately set the tone for the online environment  via the Canvas course site. This includes managing first impressions with text and images in the Canvas course site, and establishing a class culture of positive and clear communication. 

 

To manage first impressions in Canvas, faculty can: 

  • Use the main page of a course site to express your style through page design, images, and words. 

  • Create a separate page or a video explaining how the course site works. 

  • Include introductory words of welcome, audio clips or videos can help set the tone for your class.

  • Include a picture of the instructor and TAs. Short biographies also add a personal touch, and help to establish better connection with students. 

 

To set the the tone in an online learning environment, faculty can: 

  • Recognize that the online environment can be cold and sterile, and students may feel alone or lost.
  • The teaching team should be positive and encouraging about the new format (even if you are unsure and skeptical).  The comments and attitude you have about the class and the technology will affect the student satisfaction and learning.
  • try starting out with a "getting to know you" discussion forum or blog.  Use your own photo and suggest this for others.
  • Encourage participants to share information, post comments and respond to each others' posts or questions about the relevant topics. Role model this by responding to students and commenting with questions or corrections.
  • Share your profile and ask students to share their introductions as well. Include personal information that you might normally share in a traditional classroom .

  • Provide as much context as possible while curating information and resources - ie, introduce readings, videos, etc.