As online educators, we often think of the virtual classroom as a safe, color-blind, and democratic space for all students. After all, we cannot “see” our students and, because of that fact, all that we know about them is what they choose to present to us in this semi-anonymous online space.
However, from the moment a student enters the virtual classroom, he/she leaves clues about himself/herself, and we educators, attempting to “know” our students, may inadvertently make assumptions about them and limit their ability to succeed. We may even unconsciously disconnect or distance ourselves from students early on because of our opinions about their use of Standard English, their tone, their level of formality, their name, their timeliness, their proofreading skills, and even their technical skills.
Perhaps, we grade students before they even submit their first major assignment. Thus, to truly serve all students fairly, it is imperative that we examine our own blind spots and biases and acknowledge an impulse to generalize and categorize our students, putting them into outmoded boxes. A few self-check points to consider:
- Are you making yourself accessible for connection? Hosting live office hours via WebEx or Skype allows you and your students to connect in live time, getting to know one another beyond text-based interactions, which can be subject to various interpretations in tone.
- Are you demonstrating empathy for students? Showing students you care in your 1:1 emails, assignment feedback, and discussion board commentary can suggest a welcoming, supportive environment.
- Are you reflecting on your past responses? Reviewing past discussion forum replies and analyzing your interactions with students can help ensure equity in terms of future response and support.
Regardless of your approach, the key is to remain attentive to possible biases, incidents of inadvertent elitism, racism, and classism to better serve all students to ensure a more democratic learning environment.