TWU Blogs

Using Introductions as a Way to Personalize the Course

Instructor Introduction

You want students to know more about you than a name and office information.
Since these students may never actually meet with you face-to-face, thoughtful use of the introduction can actually reduce the psychological distance between you and the students.
It is helpful for students to perceive you as knowledgeable (content presence), approachable (social presence), and concerned about their growth (teaching presence).
Personal disclosure (revealing something about you as a person) is a useful technique to establish both social and teaching presence.
You want to leave evidence of your presence in the course.

Students’ Introductions

Many sources suggest that students should be required to provide some type of introduction.
Introductions provide a means for viewing common experiences and background information useful for the entire course.
Introductions get students immediately involved to rapidly generate discussion.
Student introductions are the initial step to building some sense of community in the course. Community-building is often reinforced by identification of commonality.
- Increased sense of community is associated with increased student satisfaction, improved retention, and increased student learning (Brown, 2001).

Introductions should be a low risk way for students to get involved in the course and to begin to use the discussion board.
Introductions provide a means to immediately encourage limited interaction within a course.
Introductions are a way to encourage students to get to know one another on a personal basis.
Introductions are a good way to make allowances for students to become comfortable with faceless interaction.
Student introductions are a way to let beginning students experience some success with the technology and develop an initial sense of comfort with the technology.
Although personal disclosure is an important step in the community-building process, only share what you feel comfortable in sharing.
Supportive interaction is a successful outcome of the community-building process. Introductions provide a way for students to point out commonalities and provide affirming statements, the first step toward supportive interaction.
Provide minimal credit for a test over the introductions
A variety of techniques can be used to frame expectations for student introductions.
- Fictionalize the introduction process
- Introduce yourself to the class…through the eyes of a child…by assuming the role of a character in your favorite movie…etc.
- Introduce yourself by telling us what you hope to gain (with the exception of a grade of A) as a result of this course.
- What are your greatest concerns about learning about this content?
- Who lives in _____?
- Who is interested in _____?

Provide an instructor introduction that gives students a sense of who you are as a person to personalize the course.
Remember that you are using language to set the tone for the course.
Emerging research suggests that students report increased satisfaction with audio messages included as a part of instructor introductions.
Require student introductions as an initial activity in the course.

How and where you choose to use introductions is a matter of personal preference. Traditionally, many distance education courses use the Discussion Board for student introductions. Instructor introductions are seen on the Discussion Board but also appear in other sections of the course.
1. We have seen introductions in the Announcements, in the Course Information section, and in the Staff Information section of Blackboard courses.

Staff Information Link here for information on setting up the Staff Information area in Blackboard

Announcements Ideas plus the nuts and bolts of setting this tool up.

Update to PBwiki 2.0

An entirely new PBwiki experience, including folders and easier editing.