The items that stood out most were student comfort and that their rate of success was higher when they felt more human connection. Keeping office hours and being available to students helps the student and the instructor by making sure that not just the academics are being taking care of but the student's emotional state and engagement are nurtured.
I recently read a article where the student said the teachers weren't there for them and they had not even had one online class meeting during this entire stay at home learn online semester. The student was upset and did not feel motivated to continue instruction. The student did not feel that they had learned as much as they would in a traditional classroom.
My own students feel frustrated and unmotivated when they encounter technology problems. Our current LMS does not allow for immediate response to the problems. This leaves a bitter taste for the learner and lowers their interest in completing the online learning.
Being as avaialbe to students as possible and giving them as much engagement as possible motivates them and encourages them to do well.
