Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Creating presence in your online course

Posted by Greg Kaminski

“I don¡¯t care what you know until I know that you care.”
(from the voice of our students, as quoted by Flower Darby, educator/author)

Students notice a lack of presence. They want to know that instructors are there and that we care about them.

Creating Presence – Workshop

This is a terrific professional development opportunity to explore ways to create presence in your online course. Examine strategies for creating a welcoming, engaging learning environment where students feel a sense of connection to the instructor, other students, and the course. This workshop is recommended for current online instructors interested in taking another step toward mastery of online teaching.

Learning Objective

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to describe how to create instructor, social, and cognitive presence in online courses.

Format

This Quality Matters workshop is asynchronous, 2 weeks, with 7 hours/week of work expected. There is a completion stipend of $350 for PT faculty. (FT instructors will also be eligible for a stipend for workshops completed during a non-contract period, e.g. summer.)

Register for this workshop

Other workshops of potential interest to online instructors.

• Increasing Interaction and Engagement (May 3rd, 1 week)
• Creating Presence in your Online Course (May 5th, 2 weeks)
• Using YouTube for Teaching & Learning (May 10th, 1 week)
• Engaging Learners in Online Discussions (May 17th, 1 week)
• Using Instructional Materials & Technology to Promote Learner Engagement (May 20th, 2 weeks)
• Giving Effective Feedback (June 14th, 1 week)
• Improving your Online Course (July 8th, 2 weeks)
• Strategies for Improving Retention (July 12, 1 week)

Workshop Details, Dates & Registration

• Workshops of interest to online instructors
• Workshops of interest to all instructors (including remote, hybrid…)

The workshops are asynchronous, but you’ll need to block out time on your calendar to work on the learning activities. It’s most effective to spread the workload throughout the duration of the workshop. (These are not workshops that you can complete in the final couple of days.)

Workshops must be completed in entirety within the timeframe of the workshop in order for PT instructors to be eligible for a stipend. (FT instructors will also be eligible for a stipend for workshops that are completed during a non-contract period, e.g. summer.)

Any changes or cancellation of workshops must be done in Cornerstone (MyCareer@PCC) at least 3 days prior to the start date. (How to withdraw)

Additional resources related to creating presence and building community

• Building Relationships: How to Connect from a Distance, Crystal O. Wong, Oct 14 2020
• Authentic Teaching and Connected Learning in the Age of COVID-19, Harriet Swartz, April 2, 2020
• Strategies for Showing Faculty Presence, PCC webinar, May 1, 2020
• Tips for Humanizing your Online Course, Rob Kelly, Oct 17, 2013