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communication

com·mu·ni·ca·tion

/kəˌmyo͞onəˈkāSH(ə)n/

Noun

The exchange of information and the expression of feeling that transfers information from one place, person or group to another. Many available tools and techniques help with the sharing of text, graphics, videos, and audio, and an understanding of "paralanguage" for the online environment (specialized social cuing) is key to encouraging and facilitating inclusive online learning communities.

Building Classrooms Where All Students Can Hear and Engage

Credit: Microphone by B. Milaylov and licensed for free use by Unsplash. Accessed February 18, 2026.

In an inclusive classroom, all students—regardless of ability—should have equal access to learning. This includes ensuring that students with hearing impairments or communication challenges can fully engage with course content and discussions. Simple strategies to enhance auditory accessibility not only foster a more inclusive environment but also support Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).

Using a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Successful Group Projects

Credit: Memorandum of Understanding by Nick Youngson from pix4free is licensed under CC BY SA 30. Accessed Feb. 28, 2025.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) requires group members to commit to the terms of the MOU and can help prevent conflicts among group members. A good MOU can help define individuals’ roles and expected responsibilities, and it can include a communication plan to identify a schedule and the ways in which group members will communicate (Canvas, Zoom, etc.). Additionally, an MOU can include a code of conduct for the group, which might include the following:

Utilizing Small Group Projects in Higher Education  

4 students sitting at table talking and writing on paper

Credit: Group of Students Working Together by Andy Barbour is licensed under CC0. Accessed Feb. 28, 2025.

Using small group projects helps students develop skills in the areas of communication, critical thinking, and collaboration, which are transferable socially and professionally. Small group work can also improve students’ understanding of course material and increase their confidence. Unfortunately, many students dread group projects because of past negative experiences with unclear expectations, unequal participation of group members, and/or lack of support and guidance.

Surveying Students Mid-semester to Instigate Immediate Changes

Credit: Adrian from Pixabay

An ungraded, anonymous mid-semester survey offers students a chance to voice concerns and ask questions about a course and its administration. Surveys of this type can be setup easily in Canvas. Compiled results can fuel a follow-up conversation and/or announcement where the instructor can address student feedback by answering questions and alleviating issues or making plans to do so.

Surveying Students to Check for Understanding

Credit: © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Do you ever notice that a large percentage of students are having a hard time grasping a concept or following procedures properly? It might be time to send out a quick survey to figure out what’s going on. Soliciting student feedback to gain an understanding of where students are coming from can help you hone your teaching to make the maximum impact.

Questioning Students to Elicit Feedback About Your Course

Credit: © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Just ask! Sometimes you must ask the right question to get the conversation started. An example of a great prompt for student feedback is to ask students to share “The one thing I wish I had known before I took this course is...” Replies to this prompt are exactly the kind of information that can help you address misunderstandings or clear up poor instructions or explanations.

Feedback Loops: Gathering Feedback from Students about the Effectiveness of Your Course

Feedback = idea, response, opinion, survey, comment, rating, result, advice

Credit: © STOATPHOTO / Adobe Stock

Don’t wait for formal evaluations to find out what your students are thinking and how they feel. A recent study by Jonas Flodén (2017) notes that “Student feedback pushes teaching choices … toward more student-teacher interaction” (Discussion section, para. 3). Findings like this illustrate the demand for more connection.

Using First-day Information Sheets to Support Inclusive Teaching

Credit: Addy, T., et al. (2021). What Inclusive Instructors Do. Stylus Publishing.

A great way to begin with an inclusive tone and show your commitment to helping students succeed is to gather anonymous information from your students so that you have a good idea of who is in your classroom. This sort of voluntary activity can help students disclose their equity challenges, perspectives, and other factors they’ll bring to class, like emotions and mindsets.

Using Student-to-Student Interactions to Boost Engagement

Credit: luckybusiness / Adobe Stock

Engaging students in class discussions and activities is always a challenging endeavor for instructors because there is no one-size-fits-all approach that will work to draw in everyone. Students will have varying degrees of interest in the topic, and not everyone will be able to find the same degree of relevance in the concepts presented.

Using Rubrics to Evaluate Student Work and Build Faculty Presence

Rubrics frequently supplement forms of assessment and are used to evaluate student work and learning. They can be used for projects, presentations, discussions, and writing assignments. Learners can view the criteria on which they are being assessed and can work towards meeting the stated expectations. For instance, it is common to include a rubric for online discussion forums so that learners have a clear idea of the criteria that will be used for grading (i.e.

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