Starting the module

1. Record an introductory video

This should outline the course, including who their tutor is and how they can be contacted, and referring to the resource which amplifies this or aids learners who do not recall a point in the video.  It may include the outcomes and assessment strategy for the module. Think about how you will provide for queries which arise for students on watching the video.

Example: John made a short introductory video for his module. This was put up on Youtube with a link included in the module. It was also available to inform future students interested in the module, both those already within the programme and choosing their next module, and those thinking about applying for the programme. He also created a discussion area entitled ‘queries’ and encouraged learners to post questions and requests for clarification.

2. Close the evaluation loop from last time the module ran

Include feedback from the previous delivery of the module. Include both what you changed and what you didn’t, and why. Make clear to the students what has come from previous student feedback to show how you have listened to the student voice. By mentioning previous evaluation and how you responded to it, highlights the importance of evaluation. Also the next students can be aware that they are introduced to a programme where their voice is listened to, a key part of SoB.

Example: Zara created extra slides for her introduction to the module slides. These were headed ‘you said, we did’ and ‘you said, we didn’t’. She wonders if next time it would be even better to video a short discussion between her and the student rep.

3. Have the members of the class introduce themselves

This could be synchronous (e.g. through a webinar or at a face to face induction, if there is one) but is more often asynchronous, e.g. via voicethread. Establish length, topics and modality by introducing yourself first. Have a list of information they could share, if willing, e.g. how they like to be addressed, location, something memorable about themselves, a photograph of something that has specific meaning to them and why. Just as you might want to quickly learn and use students’ names in an on-campus setting aided by use of name cards or stickers, use this to note their preferred address, perhaps in a spreadsheet for future use. This is a low risk icebreaker. It encourages students to share a little about themselves, but they select what they want to share. It also allows them to familiarise themselves with the technology, so e.g. if being able to load an image is important, this has been built into a low stakes activity.

Example: Samuel asked students to prepare a short biographical paragraph about themselves, including: the name they prefer their fellow students to use when addressing them; their professional background and current role / position; their previous experience of education for their educational role; if they’ve used online discussion boards before one thing they’ve found helpful and one thing less helpful; and one thing about themselves they think will make them memorable to their fellow students. He invites them to use VoiceThread[1] to deliver this paragraph and to take time to listen to the other introductions. He then role models the activity by introducing himself (e.g. ‘My birth certificate says Samuel but I prefer to be called Sam) and commenting on others’ introductions as they are added.  He notes their preferred name in a spreadsheet for his future use.

4. Provide a calendar of key dates for the module

Off-campus students are often juggling study with full-time work or caring duties. Knowing key dates (e.g. tutorial dates, collaborative activities, assessment dates, holidays) in advance is important for them to plan their studies. Student not being clear on instructions, or misinterpreting instructions, can easily lead to a sense of alienation, the antithesis to Sense of Belonging. When providing a list of key dates at the beginning, encourage the students to put these in their diary and to plan their own work schedule. Remember to be clear on times, e.g. UK time.

Example: Rachel wanted to set the submission time at 12 noon UK time on the Friday of the 12^th week of every module. This gave consistency across modules, ensuring students knew what to expect, and ensured staff were available if students had any problems or queries. However, for 12 O’clock the software only allowed specification of 12am or 12pm. There was confusion amongst students about whether the time was noon or midnight, so the time was changed to 11:55am UK time (again she decided to avoid terminology such as GMT / BST which are very UK-centric). Also included was a link to a time converter for students working outside the UK time zone.

5. Ask the students to share their hopes for the module and worries

It is good practice to ask the students what they hope for the module. This will improve their SoB through a sense of ownership and indicates your interest in them. Of course, asking about their hopes then ignoring these will lead to alienation. If any hopes are inappropriate, it is wise to tell them immediately that this is not within the scope of the course. However, there are many ways you can take this information forward, even if your module is set to open all materials from day. You may respond by adding brief supplementary material for this group or that student, (naturally within the constraints of the module outcomes).

Hopefully declared hopes do align in the main to the outcomes and modalities of the module. If they don’t, you might want to revisit the information you give to students pre-registration.  Some may be beyond the scope of the module. Be honest. Some may be in the students’ individual scope, but may need your support. Some points may benefit from sharing with your team. You may want to revisit learners’ hopes at the end of the module, and ask them to reflect on if (and how) they have attained those hopes, where they haven’t, whether any unfulfilled hopes remain, and if so what they’ll do now.

Example: Rebecca asks the students to share their hopes and fears using Padlet[1] She invites them students to post hopes and fears for the module at the start of the module. She themes the comments, and records a short video with another member of the team to discuss these themes and how and if they will be addressed. She decides to leave the board open for people to add, amend or remove postings throughout the module. Her students commented they had found it particularly helpful to express their fears and to know that others had the same fears. Often these related to the technology, in response to which Rebecca was able to point to further resources available online.

6. Co-create guidance around use of discussion boards

We sometimes assume that our students are all very technology-savvy, using social networking in their everyday lives. Indeed this is highly likely, with the vast majority of the UK’s population owning smart phones and being on at least one of the main social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). However, posting in an academic forum to people we may never meet face-to-face, and often including those responsible for their assessment can be daunting for many students. Should the language be formal? Does grammar matter? Should the work include references? Are emoticons acceptable? Are abbreviations such as lol? Who has access to a discussion board within the module and why? Will discussion boards be monitored? If so, by whom and why? Will they be assessed and if so by whom and how?

Share with the students the level of engagement a particular discussion board will have from you the tutor, unfulfilled expectations can create lead to frustrations and impact on learners’ SoB. It may be that you have some areas (e.g. the online café) that you won’t take part in any more than you would expect to sit with on-campus students during their lunch break. However, boards where learners discuss the week’s formal teaching are where you can build personal engagement and connection with the students. Use informal and friendly language, establishing a welcoming tone from the outset. Using less formal academic language can encourage confidence and engagement with students. This leads to the students feeling more part of the class.

Example: Rebecca introduced ‘netiquette’ and a link to a short online article to seed a discussion around use of discussions in her module with her students. There was some discussion around what was professional, particularly around emoticons. One student whose first language used the Arabic alphabet did not realise her use of capitalisation could be viewed as shouting.  This made the useful point that when working in an international cohort, something that is ok for one student may not be appropriate for others.

7. Set a low-stakes structured interactive activity

In his nine events of instruction, Gagné emphasises the importance of starting with an attention-grabbing introduction. Think about how you might create a compelling introduction that will be perceived as useful by the participants – perhaps it’s a personal story, a news story, or a question that surprises them or shocks them.  The potential benefits of engaging should be explicit. Try to choose an activity which readily promotes interaction, from which a SoB can grow.  So aim at an emotional connection that encourages them to not only think about the subject but also to share their thoughts with their peers. Think about how you will introduce, prompt, if necessary guide and support the ensuing conversation. Anticipate any complications for learners with the technology used for both delivery of the material and the following discussion.

Example: Vicky asks students to watch a short video of a trainee doctor experiencing the death of a patient, and suggests reflecting on how the trainee doctor felt. The video is short but pertinent to the module and to the students’ own experience. In this example the tutor is tapping into both the student’s SoB to their own profession and their SoB to the module. The task is manageable, not too time consuming, and also introduces students to the discussion board. The video was on Youtube for easy access to her student population; a clear question is asked via the vle Blog tool as Vicky feels this gives a more conversational feel than the vle Discussion board. The students rated this activity highly.

8. Introduce a sense of place

A sense of belonging arguably requires somewhere to belong to. We need to consider when we design the digital, the formal and informal, the personal and communal learning environments. Just as for our face-to-face students, these need to be developed holistically and purposely to reflect ways of being. We want to develop areas to foster belonging, setting clear expectations and developing good habits for learning together. Consider whether these spaces need to be on the institutional vle. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of students setting up their own area on e.g. whatsapp?

Example: Nigel develops a learning hub where students can meet informally and where students on the module can learn together. He calls this the café, making it clear to students this is for them. He also gives them information about setting up collaborate sessions between themselves.