Why Personal Connections Matter
Instructors should demonstrate respect and care for their learners to create a more positive learning environment. Even with simple positive praising comments, instructors can influence learner emotion and cognition.
Learner emotions can positively affect their motivation, engagement, and achievement, and will easily diminish any negative encounters they may have within their learning experience. Most importantly, learners feel more confident to voice personal setbacks or need for support when they trust the instructor.
Encouraging Case Study
Of course, positive relationships and rapport are difficult to build with online or distance learning. However, with some course design changes, interpersonal relationships can still be built. An encouraging fact is that increases in positive rapport have lowered student drop-out rates within academic online courses.
In a study (Kim & Thayne, 2015) where an online course was created and dedicated to increasing positive student-instructor rapport, the following simple strategies were used:
The instructor used a friendly and warm tone of voice
The instructor included some of their own experiences in relation to the course content
Any time learners asked questions or offered solutions, the instructor encouraged them or praised them depending on whether they were correct or needed guidance
Without a doubt, learner groups who received the relationship building treatment in the study (Kim & Thayne, 2015) demonstrated a noticeable increase in learning gains compared to those who did not receive this treatment.
Looking Towards the Future
Online courses and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are becoming part of the new normal in professional and academic education. This style of learning can be viewed as too distant, unsupportive, and even detrimental. Despite these labels, online or distance learning experiences can still be created with personal connection in mind. Instructors simply need to make sure that learners are made to feel confident, supported, and heard, especially in their moments of frustration.
References
Kim, Y., & Thayne, J. (2015). Effects of learner–instructor relationship-building strategies in online video instruction. Distance Education, 36(1), 100–114.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2015.1019965
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