This document provides tips for humanizing online courses by making them more engaging for students. It suggests incorporating a variety of techniques to build interaction and a sense of community, such as getting to know students personally, using humor, inviting guest experts, and being enthusiastic. The goal is to move beyond simply delivering content and instead focus on creating rich educational experiences for online learners.

2. HUMANIZING YOUR
ONLINE COURSE

3. HUMANIZING YOUR
ONLINE COURSE
JIM MARTENEY
DISTANCE EDUCATION TRAINER

5. How We See Ourselves

6. How We See Ourselves

7. Online Learning Experience
Has Two Parts
Instructor
Participation

8. Online Learning Experience
Has Two Parts
Class
Structure

9. Class
Structure

10. Class
Structure
An Online Class
is not
A Correspondence
Course

11. Class
Structure
An Online Class
is not
A Correspondence
Course

12. “Build it and they will come.”

13. High Tech High Touch
John Naisbitt
Warm and Cold Medium
Marshall McLuhan

14. A
“Third Place”
On Neutral Ground
Is a leveler
Conversation is the Main Activity
Accessible Ray Oldenburg

15. A
“Third Place”
The Regulars
Low Profile
Mood is Playful
Home Away From Home

16. Can Your Class
Be a
“Third Place”

17. SO, HOW DO WE
“HUMANIZE” OUR
CLASSES?

18. MAKE
YOUR
CLASS
INVITING
Pete Parkin

22. GET TO
KNOW
YOUR
STUDENTS

23. LET THEM
GET TO
KNOW YOU

26. What topics might
you use?

27. USE
FAMILIAR
LANGUAGE

28. USE
EMOTICONS

29. MAKE YOUR
DISCUSSIONS
INTERESTING

30. Don’t Ask
Content
Specific
Questions

31. Ask how
they relate
to the
content

33. “From your text, name and describe 3
types of punishment used in the past,
no longer used today.”

34. “From your text, name and describe 3
types of punishment used in the past,
no longer used today.”
“From your text, name a form of punishment
used in the past that you would like to bring
back and why you would like to use that type
of punishment today.

35. Ask Creative Questions

36. Use Videos

37. Try Reacting to Poetry

38. Debates

39. MAKE IT
THEIR CLASS
Give them a Choice
of discussions

40. MAKE IT
THEIR CLASS
Give them a Choice
of discussions

41. MAKE IT
THEIR CLASS
Give them choices

42. MAKE IT
THEIR CLASS
Give them choices

43. MAKE IT
THEIR CLASS
Let them share with each other

44. MAKE IT
THEIR CLASS
Let them
Contribute
Content

45. MAKE IT
THEIR CLASS
Websites
Pictures
Current Events
Videos
Advice

46. STUDENT CREATED POWERPOINTS

47. HAVE FUN DISCUSSIONS

48. HAVE FUN DISCUSSIONS
faceinhole.com

49. HAVE FUN DISCUSSIONS

50. HAVE FUN DISCUSSIONS

51. USE SURVEYS
C.A.T.S.

52. USE SURVEYS
C.A.T.S.
Class Attitudes

53. USE SURVEYS
C.A.T.S.
Class Attitudes
Discussion Decisions

54. USE SURVEYS
C.A.T.S.
Class Attitudes
Discussion Decisions
Nonclass Topics

56. USE PICTURES

57. PUT
YOURSELF IN
PICTURES
AND VIDEOS

58. Despairinc.com

59. USE
2.0 TOOLS

60. USE
2.0 TOOLS
Twitter Search Widget

61. CHAT A BIT

63. VARIETY
VARIETY
VARIETY

64. GET
INTERACTIVE

65. GET
INTERACTIVE
Get a Crossword Puzzle

67. INVITE GUEST EXPERTS

68. INVITE GUEST EXPERTS
Adds valuable
content and insight

69. INVITE GUEST EXPERTS
Adds valuable
content and insight
Students appreciate
experts

70. INVITE GUEST EXPERTS
Adds valuable
content and insight
Students appreciate
experts
Easier to recruit
online experts

71. INVITE GUEST EXPERTS
Adds valuable
content and insight
Students appreciate
experts
Easier to recruit
online experts
Gives you a break

72. RECRUIT
ASSISTANTS

74. “I never teach my pupils.
I only attempt to provide
the conditions in which
they can learn.”
--Albert Einstein

76. We should not be about creating
educational content.

77. We should not be about creating
educational content.
We should be be about creating
educational experiences.

78. Instructor
Participation

79. Be You

80. Express Your Personality

81. Keep the Class Positive

84. No Interaction is Neutral

85. Offer Positive
Comments
Public
Private

86. RESPOND
QUICKLY

87. MOBILE
DEVICES

88. MOBILE
DEVICES

89. MOBILE
DEVICES

90. BE
ENTHUSIASTIC

93. Nothing great was ever
achieved without
enthusiasm.
---Ralph Waldo Emerson

94. That’s the Difference Between
A Boring
Online Course

95. And an Engaging
Online Course

96. Thank you