Equitable Teaching Practices: Social Presence - Lance Lee Testimonial
Just as I do in person--when teaching online, I aim to make students feel like I'm a real person they can relate to. I focus on being my authentic self and relationship building with students--within professional bounds of course. For example, my students know I'm married, have two daughters, and a dog. I share that I'm a first-generation college student. To the end of creating an authentic self and relatability, my occasional video with a child's shout in the background is something I don't edit out, on purpose, if it doesn't interfere with the audio overall. I also share favorite hobbies.
Not everyone wants to disclose many facts about themselves, so you have to decide what is within your scope of professional bounds. However, I do find that relationship building really is an important part of being an instructor, particularly at a community college.
