Teaching into the asynchronous void

Is there a better way to engage those ‘ghost’ student cohorts online? Flexibility, accessibility and other buzzwords are touted benefits of online asynchronous teaching. Yet the reality comes with challenges, from student self-regulation to a sense of belonging. For educators, online students can become ghosts, diminished to names and numbers. Who are they? What engages them? When do they struggle? Over many years I’ve tried various strategies to engage online students in my undergraduate biology course. I’ll show the hard data on what worked and what didn’t. Detached ghosts can be resolved into motivated, engaged learners. The answer? Technology is good. Humanity is better.