Engaging Students in Remote Learning

“We used to in every class have a Discord. It used to be like a lot of people just asking questions about maybe like, a lab or a homework... I guess everyone’s just Chat-GPT now. Like the new classes that I have now, we still have the Discord, but nobody really talks because most or all the questions are answered by ChatGPT.” —P16, undergraduate computing student If you’ve moderated a class Discord, you’ve probably felt this shift: a once-busy channel that used to hum with “anyone stuck on Q3?” goes quiet. Not because students stopped needing help, but because they started getting it elsewhere. A new study by Hou et al puts language to what many of us have sensed. Based on 17 interviews across seven R1 universities, students described a social rerouting of help-seeking: 13 of 17 said peer requests are now mediated by GenAI (often “ask GPT”), and students noticed community spaces like Discord slowing down. However, when AI becomes the first responder, the “hidden curriculum” stops circulating. Fewer quick questions means fewer micro-mentorships, fewer perspective-shifts, less socially shared regulation — all the good stuff that builds belonging and lifts performance over time. Students save minutes, but communities lose momentum. So what can educators do about this? - Design “peer-first, AI-fast” protocols. Peer interactions build camaraderie and a sense of belonging. Educators need to design experiences that build more peer interactions and support inside classrooms, to compensate for GenAI caused declines.   - Protect mentorship routes. Research also showed that younger students are reaching out less often to senior mentors, missing out on invisible learning that comes from understanding unwritten rules and cultural norms. Educators might need to formalize “office-hours relays” (senior → junior → cohort) so guidance doesn’t vanish.  - Create informal interaction opportunities. Informal opportunities help students build relationships beyond their immediate circle, and provide entry points into additional learning communities. Have you seen AI change the quality of collaboration in your learning or work spaces? How can we preserve the “hidden curriculum” when AI takes over first-line help?  #GenAI #Education #PeerInteraction #HiddenCurriculum

As a first in family student, stepping into university life (many, many years ago) felt daunting. I didn’t know the ‘rules’ or the language, and I carried around a quiet fear that I didn’t quite belong. Over time, I found that sense of belonging, largely through my experience living on campus in student accommodation. It was there that I built friendships, found mentors, and slowly came to understand that belonging isn’t something you either have or don’t have, it’s something that can be nurtured. That's why this recent research on student belonging resonated with me. It moves beyond the usual talking points and gets to the heart of what really helps students feel they belong, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. A few actions that stood out as both meaningful and at times overlooked: 1️⃣ Connecting students to purpose and identity Academic success isn’t just about essays and exams. When we value lived experience and non-traditional learning, students feel seen. We can do this by asking students to reflect on real-world challenges in assessments or connecting learning to their own contexts.   2️⃣ Prioritising relationship-building in the curriculum and throughout Not just during orientation, but throughout the semester via peer mentoring, collaborative problem solving in class, and structured opportunities for students to connect meaningfully with one another. 3️⃣ Making uncertainty visible Students often think they’re the only ones struggling - tutors and academics can and should talk openly about academic challenges, and leaders can acknowledge that confidence and learning those unwritten 'rules' builds over time. Staff who share their own learning journeys can have a huge impact and kindness, respect and genuine interest can go a long way.   4️⃣ Designing for diverse student needs and barriers Not all students want, or are able, to join clubs or attend social events due to work, caring responsibilities, or other factors. Offering flexible, low-barrier opportunities to connect (like online forums or drop-in chats), designing learning experiences with multiple ways to engage, and considering time-poor or commuter students in planning should be non-negotiables. As this article highlights, belonging doesn’t come from a single program, initiative or activity – and it isn’t one size-fits-all. It comes from hundreds of small cues that tell a student: You matter. You’re capable. You are welcome here. Because of this, all staff, can play a key role in facilitating micro-moments of connection. 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/ghTeHkxg

They’re compliant and polite. No detentions. No drama. No clue what you just taught. No one sends an email about them— which is exactly why they slip through the net. No disruption doesn’t mean engagement. Sometimes it means disconnection. The solution isn’t louder teaching; it’s smarter connection. How do you bring them back from stealth mode? 1. Make thinking visible. Use retrieval, mini-whiteboards, and cold-calling to check everyone’s understanding — not just volunteers. Quiet disengagement disappears in “hands down” classrooms. Ask for reasoning not recitation. 2. Create psychological safety. When students believe mistakes won’t humiliate them, they’re more likely to risk contributing. 3. Use low-stakes accountability. Exit tickets, quick quizzes, and peer feedback keep everyone mentally present without adding pressure. 4. Build authentic relationships. A short check-in, a shared joke, or noticing something specific can pull a quiet student back into connection. 5. Design lessons for belonging. Plan for every learner to participate, not just observe. Specific group roles, structured talk, and collaborative tasks make invisibility harder. Noticing who you’re not noticing is how you become more inclusive. #Education #Inclusion #SecondarySchools #SEND #Behaviour #TraumaInformed #HighQualityTeaching #KindClassroom

🌱 Belonging Before Blooming 🌿 Learning begins not in the mind, but in the heart. Before students can absorb content, they must feel seen, heard, and safe. Belonging isn’t an accessory to education, it’s the root system that nourishes every form of learning that follows. 💬 1. Connection Fuels Cognition When learners feel emotionally connected, their cognitive engagement deepens. The brain learns best in environments where it feels secure, respected, and valued. 🌈 2. Classrooms Are Communities, Not Courts Replace judgment with joy. When learners feel that their presence is celebrated, not compared, participation becomes authentic, not forced. 🪞 3. Identity Matters in Every Lesson Curriculum should reflect diverse voices and perspectives. Representation helps every learner whisper silently, “I see myself here.” 🌻 4. Safety Precedes Curiosity Students take intellectual risks only in psychologically safe environments. Laughter, mistakes, and reflection, all are signs of growth, not weakness. 🌼 5. Listening Builds Trust When teachers listen deeply, to questions, silences, and struggles, they humanize learning. Listening is the first act of inclusion. 🌺 6. Names, Stories, and Smiles Matter Greeting students by name, remembering their interests, or checking in after an absence says: “You’re not invisible.” Small gestures sow deep belonging. 🌻 7. Co-Creation Strengthens Ownership Invite learners into decision-making, about topics, assessments, or formats. Shared agency turns compliance into commitment. 🌸 8. Empathy Is a Teaching Strategy Understanding a learner’s emotional world is not extra work, it is the work. Empathy bridges the gap between instruction and inspiration. 🌿 9. Feedback with Compassion, Not Comparison Feedback should feel like guidance, not a grade. Replace “You should’ve done this” with “Here’s how we can make this stronger.” The tone of feedback determines the tone of learning. 🌻 10. Teachers as Gardeners of Growth A gardener doesn’t force flowers to bloom; they nurture the conditions. Similarly, educators create the ecosystem; safety, trust, belonging, where learning thrives naturally. 💡 When belonging enters the classroom, learning ceases to be an obligation and becomes an opportunity. Every student deserves not just education, but affirmation. ❓️How do you make learners feel they belong, in classrooms, teams, or workplaces? Share your practice below. You might just plant the seed of belonging for someone else. 💫🌍✨ #InclusiveEducation #EmpathyInEducation #StudentEngagement #TeacherReflection #InstructionalDesign #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EducationForAll #SocialEmotionalLearning #SEL #LXD #LearningThatMatters #HumanizingEducation #LearningCommunities #LearnerCenteredDesign #TeachingPhilosophy #MotivationAndBelonging #ClassroomCulture #TrustAndLearning #LearningEnvironment #TeachingWithHeart #EducationLeadership #LearningEcosystem #TeachingTransformation #GrowMindsNotJustGrades

The engagement gap: why traditional online learning metrics hide the real reason students disengage. Most platforms track completion rates. But they miss what really matters. Isolation kills motivation faster than any technical glitch. Here's how to build real connection in virtual spaces: 1️⃣ Community-First Design • Break the solo learning trap • Foster peer relationships • Create belonging through structure ↳ Group projects that actually work ↳ Guided discussions that spark dialogue ↳ Micro-communities that stick together 2️⃣ Real-Time Connection Points • Schedule virtual coffee chats • Host informal study groups • Break down social barriers ↳ Weekly check-ins build momentum ↳ Informal spaces encourage bonding ↳ Small groups maximize interaction 3️⃣ Peer Support Networks • Match learners strategically • Enable organic mentoring • Build accountability partnerships ↳ Buddy systems drive completion ↳ Peer feedback loops work magic ↳ Support circles prevent dropout 4️⃣ Active Instructor Presence • Show up consistently • Engage authentically • Guide conversations naturally ↳ Regular office hours matter ↳ Personal responses build trust ↳ Active participation sets the tone 5️⃣ Inclusive Space Design • Clear community guidelines • Diverse representation • Accessible support systems ↳ Everyone feels welcome ↳ All voices get heard ↳ Support reaches everyone The secret isn't more content. It's better connection. Build community first. Everything else follows. How are you designing for connection—not just completion—in your online learning spaces?

Relational classrooms don’t come from programs. They are built through what we do, consistently, every day. One of the most common questions I get is how to actually build this in practice. Not in theory. Not as an add on. But in the real, full days teachers are navigating. And over time, I have realised this is not just a classroom conversation. Parents are asking the same question. Leaders are too. How do we build environments where people feel safe, connected and ready to learn? The answer is not one big strategy. It is what gets woven into the fabric of the day. Small shifts. Repeated often. Here are 20 simple, practical ways this can look: Connection • Greet every student at the door • Use names often and intentionally • Sit beside, not always stand over • Use humour to diffuse, not control • Prioritise connection before correction Environment • Reduce visual noise on walls • Design the room for flow, not just function • Protect thinking space with less talk and more processing time • Build in micro-pauses across the day • Create soft landing moments after breaks Language • Use the same calm language in repeated moments • Slow down instructions instead of repeating them louder • Build shared language around feelings and states • Model calm, especially when it’s hard • Notice patterns before reacting to behaviour Routines • Keep transitions predictable and visible • Co-create simple routines with students • Use consistent routines to reduce uncertainty • Give students small, meaningful choices • End the day with a simple reflection or reset This is not an exhaustive list. And there are other important elements, like play, that deserve to be woven in as well. But even a few of these, done consistently, can begin to shift the feel of a classroom, a home, or a team. Because learning does not sit outside of relationships. It happens within them. #Education #Teaching #SchoolLeadership #ClassroomManagement #TeacherWellbeing #SocialEmotionalLearning #StudentWellbeing #RelationalTeaching #ClassroomCulture #CalmClassrooms

In higher ed, belonging doesn’t come from a textbook. It’s built in the moments when staff and faculty are willing to be real with students. When we admit we once struggled in a course. When we share that our own career path was full of ups & downs. When we say, “I understand. I’ve been there too.” We model for students that they can bring their full selves to the classroom. This creates psychological safety in the classroom, advising session, or campus office. And when students feel that safety, they are more likely to persist, engage, and succeed. As educators, we might need to have all the answers when we’re defending our dissertation. But not to connect with students. What students need most is to know they’re not alone. Because in the end, vulnerability isn’t a weakness in higher ed, it’s the currency of connection #highereducation #college #belonging #firstgen

In the last few weeks of calls, a pattern kept repeating... Schools don’t have a content problem. They have a connection problem. When students have a real place to be with each other, everything moves. Even eight hours a year of authentic participation can lift retention by around ten percent. Build an always-on campus instead of a grid of links and synchronous attendance climbs from about thirty percent to sixty. The students who were hardest to find become the first to show up. If you want that shift, stop optimizing lessons in isolation. Start designing for belonging. Create the hallway, not just the classroom. A simple homeroom that stays open. A few clubs that actually meet. A parent corner that feels like a front office. Measure what matters. Talk time. Voluntary minutes in space. Peer connections that persist across sessions. If you cannot see it, you cannot improve it. Make it safe and simple. SSO only. Clear guardrails. Low lift for teachers. No one should need a new workflow to build community. Fix retention by fixing connection. The results will follow. What are you measuring this month that proves your students feel like they belong?