Starting a semester off strong can set the tone for an entire course. Below, you'll find some tried and true tips for creating an instructor introduction that will engage and motivate your students. These strategies can be used in any class format. DIID recommends putting an instructor introduction in your course, regardless of teaching modality. Even students in a face-to-face course can benefit from learning about their instructors a day or two before the course officially starts.
An instructor introduction is a great way to introduce yourself, your online persona, and teaching philosophy to your students. A course introduction provides students with an overview of your online course and your expectations for their success. There is a designated space for you to put this information, the "About Your Instructor" file in the Getting Started module which is part of our Base Course Template. If you don't see the Getting Started module, you can email online@nicc.edu and request that it be copied into your course. There are several ways to introduce yourself to your students, including a written, video, or audio introduction.
Regardless of format, your introduction should include the following, at a minimum:
Information about your professional background and teaching experience
Your goals and/or vision for the course
A bit about your interests, hobbies, etc. (anything that helps students get to know you)
Your availability & contact information.
A written introduction is a good place to start. You can even consider writing your introduction and then using it as a basis for a video or audio script. If you choose to use a text introduction, we encourage you to add a photo of yourself, especially if the course is fully online. This gives your students a chance to see the human behind the course.
View the sample introductions below for inspiration. Have an introduction you want to share with colleagues here? Email it to online@nicc.edu and we'll add it!
I believe that personal connection and engagement are the most critical pieces of any online class. I try to make sure that students get to know me in several important ways in the first week of a course. Here is a sample of the tactics that I use:
I share my Teaching Philosophy with my students so they know how serious I take my role as their teacher, and a bio so they know I'm not a robot!
Here is a short video from one of my YouTube channels where I share my teaching philosophy and why I take my job so seriously.
NOTE: This is a more highly edited video that I used as I was receiving training on video editing and video editing software. An unedited talking head video of you having a short conversation with your students will work fine. In many ways it may even be better. Students don't want perfect; they want authentic!
My teaching philosophy is simple. Every student matters. I give each and every student the same education that I want my son Oliver to receive. I am a demanding teacher, but I demand more from myself than any of my students. My students know that I will do anything in my power to help them learn and succeed. They also know that I will do so with a smile on my face because I am investing in their future. Sharing my love for learning is not my job, it is my calling.
My goal as an educator is to inspire, empower, and engage. I inspire students by making it clear that I care about them and that I am excited to be a part of their journey to a better life. They know that they matter to me. I empower students by creating hundreds of detailed video, audio, and written resources to help guide them through my course content. They know that they are not alone. I engage students by being active in online discussions, giving personalized feedback on all assigned work, and being accessible 7 days a week via the course shell, email, and phone. They always know where they stand. Students have fallen in love with my methods and almost every course I teach is full (with a waiting list) for these reasons.
I am originally from a very small town near Sioux City called Waterbury, Nebraska. I lived in Sioux City for most of my life. I graduated from East High School in 1996
After college I spent time as a Chiropractor, Clinical Researcher, Designated Civil Surgeon for the Department of Justice, Independent Medical Examiner, Department of Transportation Medical Examiner, and Team Doctor for multiple universities. Working with athletes was always my passion. I was blessed to get to spend some time working with the Head Trainer for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. I have seen a lot of things over the past decade, and I hope to bring these experiences into the classroom so that your education is practical and relevant in the real world.
I never planned on becoming an educator, but teaching you students is the greatest job that I have ever had. I will do anything in my power to prepare you for life after college, and I hope that all of you succeed at whatever you try. I hope that you feel that I care about you as an individual by the time this class is over and you move on.
I am extremely proud of the fact that I have received multiple teaching excellence awards in my time as a teacher, including the 2013 Outstanding Teacher of the Year award at WITCC and a NISOD Teaching Excellence award in 2014. I am not the kind of person that needs (or even enjoys) recognition. To know that I have impacted students enough for them to nominate me is what fuels me to continue to look for ways to help you learn and achieve your dreams.
I have a wonderful career, but my home life is even better. I am married to my soul mate, and we have a young boy together. I have 2 stepchildren that I adore, but Oliver Thomas O’Neill is my first biological child and is my pride and joy. My family is my focus when I am at home, but I also enjoy reading, lifting weights, taking long walks, and playing card/board games, even though my wife beats me at Scrabble every time ☺. I hope that we continue to get to know each other over the coming weeks. I am here to help
Be blessed,
Dr. O
A video introduction adds a personal touch to your students' first encounter with you. Not only will they get to see the actual human behind their course, but they will get to know your personality a bit better through video. You can produce an edited video, or simply use tools in Brightspace to create a quick, natural video introduction. To learn more, check out this article, "How to Make the Most of a Video Introduction for an Online Course" in Campus Technology.
Check out these video introductions from NICC instructors for some inspiration. Have a video you want to share with colleagues here? Email it to online@nicc.edu and we'll add it!
Sample introduction video from NICC instructional designer and adjunct instructor, Jordan O'Connell
An edited video like Jordan's will allow you to make sure you include exactly the information you want in your introduction. You are in control of this first impression. On the other hand, there are also benefits to a more natural, unedited approach to your video. Students see the more genuine "you," and may feel more confident if they are asked to respond with video in your course activities. And, not worrying about editing saves you time! Choose whichever type of video introduction feels the most comfortable to you.
Michelle's intro...
Browse through the topics below if are interested in learning more about how to prepare for and set up your video recording.
DIID recommends using Panopto or Brightspace's Video Note tool to create your video introduction. The advantage to using Panopto is that you can edit your video, and use the recording in as many courses as you wish. The Brightspace Video Note tool is simpler to use but has fewer features. Both meet accessibility standards and are readily available. To learn more, visit our Audio/Video page.
Before jumping right in to record an introductory video, it is a good idea to first create an outline of the topics you might want to cover in the video. Creating an outline will help ensure that you cover all the essential information students should know about the course and ensure a smooth and logical flow of information being delivered.
💡 PRO TIP: An outline will also help to keep the video to a reasonable length and file size. An average video is length is 3-5 minutes.
The following information might be included in the course introductory video:
Welcome to the students, including introducing yourself, your title and field of expertise
Course number/name and how the course fits into the curriculum of the program
The importance or reason for this course
How or why this course is relevant to the students
How the course is designed / organized and will be delivered to students
How/why the course design will help the students achieve the course goals and learning objectives
Expectations for student participation
Special instructions for assessments or assignments
A script is the fleshed out version of your outline. This should literally be exactly what you plan to say while recording. The script can be written in shorthand or word for word as it is to be read into the camera.
💡 PRO TIP: As a best practice for accessibility, it’s a good idea write out your script word for word so you’ll have a transcript already prepared when you’re done recording. This may become useful if you have a student who needs transcripts and/or lecture notes as part of an accessibility accommodation.
Regardless of which type of video you create, you will need the following tools:
Personal Computer
USB Webcam with built-in microphone (a webcam that shoots 720p with 16:9 ratio is recommended)
Source of light
Quiet space to record
The most common camera option for self-recorded videos is a webcam. Webcams can be external (an add-on that can be moved and repositioned), and internal (often built into a laptop, above the top of the screen). The advice below will help you make the most of recording video with webcam hardware.
If you are using an external webcam, following any installation and setup instructions that came with it. If you are using a built-in webcam, you should be set. Regardless of whether your webcam is external or built-in, you should also check your microphone settings before you begin. This allows you to verify that the proper microphone is being used to record your audio and that the volume is acceptable for the recording. This Microsoft Support page will walk you through setting up your microphone in Windows 7.
To set up your microphone in Mac OS X: Open System Preferences, click Sound, then click the Input tab.
💡 PRO TIP: Sit Near the Camera. Webcams can have a limited field of view (what the camera can see), and recording with them can be deceptive. While recording, you may be looking at a very large window on your computer’s screen. This gives the impression that students will be watching your video at that size as well. In reality, your recording may be viewed at a significantly smaller size (try watching a YouTube video for context).
It’s essential that you be comfortably close to the camera to effectively use that space. Maintaining a close distance is essential because it helps preserve the nonverbal cues you express with your face and gestures.
Put your script somewhere as close to eye level with your webcam as possible. This will ensure you don't look down throughout your video.
Start smiling before you hit record to ensure your students see a happy face!
If you mess up while recording, pause to gather your thoughts, and then start from wherever you left off. The pause does two important things: it helps you regroup, and if you're using Panopto, you will be able to see breaks in your speaking to easily locate and edit out your mistakes.
Be yourself. Your students get the unedited version of you in the classroom - it's perfectly fine if they get that version in your video as well.
If you are using Panopto, visit the Panopto homepage to make any edits to your recording, rename it, and change the share settings. You may also want to move it to a specific folder. You can learn more about how to use Panopto's editing tools on our Brightspace Knowledgebase companion site.
If you are using Brightspace's Video Note tool, turn on captions and save your recording. You're done!