Projecting "presence"
The virtual presence is indeed challenging in that students are unable to "see" the instructor. One way to deal with this is to be a constant presence online, letting the students know that you are around if needed. Moreover, verbiage is important. For example, if a discussion board goes off track and students are being disrespectful to each other, the instructor can really establish a presence if he steps in and recalibrates the discussion. Using firm but respectful language can achieve this end. Another way to project presence is to be sure to enforce the rules of the course, thereby showing to the students that you are serious about class rules.
This was really informative to read. As a traditional instructor, my department is going hybrid and these were really good tips on staying connected to the learners on the other side of the screen.
