Tips for communicating with students in online classes

Students rely heavily on their teachers for guidance and support during their courses. However, it is important to emphasize that teachers cannot and should not be available 24 hours a day. This is why it is important to set clear expectations and routines from the beginning of the course that will shape the way in which teaching will be conducted and communicated. Such transparency helps students understand when and how they can obtain the information they need, and it provides teachers with a sustainable balance between availability and professional work.

A key element is to work out how and when students can contact the teacher. It is necessary to specify precisely which communication channels they should direct their questions to: for example, via the Moodle LMS forum, email, scheduled consultation times or specific online formats (Teams , Zoom, Jitsi Meet). It is even more important to emphasize in advance the expected response rhythm: for example, replies to emails can be expected within 48 hours, while questions raised in the forum are resolved during a weekly meeting or lecture. In this way, students have realistic expectations, and the teacher clearly defines his or her own working boundaries.