Using Welcome Videos to Establish Social Presence in the Online Classroom

Posted on by

Session Description

Instructor generated videos have been a part of online college courses for quite some time. Years ago, creating videos was a novelty that some instructors embraced to differentiate and add value to their courses. Currently, instructor generated videos are strongly encouraged if not required and research shows students have a favorable opinion of instructor generated videos (Draus et al., 2014). However, some instructors are hesitant primarily due to not being comfortable creating their own videos (Valenti et al., 2019). Perhaps the best way for instructors to become more comfortable creating videos is to begin with a class welcome video. “A self-introductory video can maximize connections with distance students by presenting an authentic self and sharing enthusiasm for content, thereby setting a welcoming tone for the semester” (Singh and Robbins, 2020). Welcome videos also contribute to learning effectiveness as part of the Community of Framework Model’s Social Presence component. “Social presence, as a component of the Community of Framework Model, facilitates an open communication between the instructor and student and provides a risk-free expression of student learning” (Banerjee et al., 2020). This presentation will offer recommendations for creating a welcome video that establishes social presence. Included in the interactive presentation will be tools, an example welcome video, and the exploration of a free video creation website to get instructors started.

Presenter(s)

Lori Brooks
University of Phoenix

Dr. Brooks is currently a full time faculty member at the University of Phoenix teaching undergraduate introductory courses. She also teaches graduate courses in Education. Dr. Brooks holds a PhD in e-Learning Leadership and a Master of Science in Management. She has over 15 years of experience in the online learning environment.

Judith Drilling Cornaggia
University of Phoenix

I have worked in Education for the past 16 years and my passion is assisting students to succeed in meeting their educational goals. As an instructor, I strive to create a learning environment which encourages students to grow academically, professionally, and personally. I obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from California State University, Fresno in 1999. I began my professional career in teaching as an Independent Living Skills Instructor. In this position I provided education and training to at risk youth in the areas of home management, educational planning, health matters, employment, as well as interpersonal skills. I then went on to earn a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership in 2002 as well as a Certificate in Human Resources Management in 2004. I have been teaching online for University of Phoenix since 2008, teaching mostly Critical Thinking and Psychology of Learning classes. I also taught an Introduction to Psychology class at a local career college.

Posted in Uncategorized.