Back view of man presenting to students at a lecture theatre.

Overview

First impressions are always important, especially at the start of class. The first day of class provides faculty with the opportunity to present their vision for the class, as well as laying out expectations for a student to successfully complete the term. Students will appreciate a clear roadmap of the course and what they can expect to accomplish in the course. As we consider the first few weeks of learning, how can you anticipate the needs of your students, reduce questions, and improve confidence and engagement at the onset? Especially in high enrollment courses, starting off with a solid foundation can reduce the stress of both students and faculty.  

As you think about the start of your year, what can you prepare in advance to build a successful learning space? What resources can you make available, or what information can you gather at the start of a course to make it easier for everyone to engage and learn?  

Onboard Students 

Creating a space within your course for introductions to the professor, peers, and the course materials is essential. Building collective efficacy, student retention, engagement, and academic performance are just some of the reasons researchers advocate for having a formal onboarding process or space (Biancardi, Colasante, D’Adamo (2023); Falco & Summers (2019); (Leslie (2024); Schilling, Wittner, & Kauffeld (2022), Stoebe & Grebing (2020), et al.) 

Consider an onboarding folder or module in your online course that includes the following: 

  1. Professor welcome letter, video, audio, or presentation 
  2. Course Overview and Objectives 
  3. Course Navigation 
  4. Syllabus and Schedule 
  5. Technical Requirements, Platform Guides, or How-To Videos 
  6. Communication Guidelines and Preferences 
  7. Participation, Engagement, and Work Habits 
  8. Resource List 
  9. Student Resources and Support Services links 
  10. Academic Integrity Policies 

Although this is not an exhaustive list, it provides a starting point for success for students in a course. Think about your own experiences as a new employee or student and your needs when framing what goes into the folder. How can you build confidence and set students up for success? 

Introduce Yourself & Others to Build Community 

Provide students with a brief personal and educational biography. Allow students to introduce themselves to get a sense of their reasons for taking the course, interest in a particular topic, and what they would like to learn from the course. 

Create an opportunity for students to interact, engage, and build their network. Design a space in your online course space for making introductions, posting questions, or engaging with groups. This might include an introductory video or a presentation about your personal, professional, and faculty life. Consider how you might share elements that are appropriate from your vitae, hobbies or interests, or family or personal life. Sharing a little about yourself can help foster relationships and open doors for communication.  

Personal Interest Surveys 

A personal interest survey in college classrooms is a tool used by educators to gather information about students’ goals, hobbies, interests, learning preferences, study habits, and other personal attributes. Its primary purpose is to foster a more inclusive and supportive learning environment by understanding students’ backgrounds and individual motivations. By collecting this data, professors can tailor their teaching strategies, incorporate relevant examples, and create activities that resonate with students’ needs and interests (Quinlan, 2019).  

Additionally, such surveys can enhance student engagement and build rapport, as students feel seen and valued beyond just their academic performance. Overall, it’s a proactive approach to personalizing education and promoting student success.  

Create an online survey. or ask students to post their completed document as an onboarding activity or assignment. Consider questions like: 

  1. What are your academic goals for this course and beyond? What motivates you to succeed in your education? Do you have specific career or life goals you’re working towards? 
  2. Is there any personal background or experience you’d like to share that could help me better support your learning? 
  3. What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of class? 
  4. Are there specific topics or subjects you’re particularly interested in exploring? 
  5. How do you prefer to learn—through visual aids, discussions, hands-on activities, or reading? 
  6. What study methods have worked best for you in the past? How much time do you typically dedicate to studying outside of class? 
  7. Do you have any learning challenges or needs I should be aware of? Are there any accommodations or resources that could support your success in this course? 
  8. Are you involved in any clubs, sports, or extracurricular activities? 
  9. Do you prefer group work, individual assignments, or a mix of both? 
  10. What type of feedback helps you improve the most? 

The use of personal interest surveys can be used to inform teaching practices, build relationships, build career self-efficacy, and more deeply engage students (Falco & Summers, 2019).   

Set Expectations with Transparent Teaching (TILT Framework) 

It is important to set clear expectations for students in completing their coursework, how they are to engage in the course, how they will be assessed, as well as how to successfully complete the course.  

Start a new course with the goal of enhancing student success by making assignments transparent.  Rooted in the TILT Higher Ed initiative, this approach emphasizes clarity around purpose, tasks, and criteria of academic work. Transparent teaching makes learning processes explicit, equitable, and accessible for all students.  

Spell out the details around the reason, the activities, and the grading of academic work. Research shows that even small adjustments—like transparently designed assignments—can significantly boost students’ confidence, sense of belonging, and skill awareness, especially for first-generation and underserved students.   

References 

Biancardi, A., Colasante, A., D’Adamo, I., Daraio, C., Gastaldi, M., & Uricchio, A. F. (2023). Strategies for developing sustainable communities in higher education institutions. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 20596.  

Falco, L. D., & Summers, J. J. (2019). Improving career decision self-efficacy and STEM self-efficacy in high school girls: Evaluation of an intervention. Journal of career development, 46(1), 62-76. 

Leslie, H. (2024). Onboarding Students at Scale: A New Student Orientation Course that Prepares Students to Succeed in their Online Degree Programs. International Journal of Designs for Learning, 15(2), 41-53.  

Quinlan, K. M. (2019). What triggers students’ interest during higher education lectures? Personal and situational variables associated with situational interest. Studies in Higher Education, 44(10), 1781-1792. 

Samuel, A., Durning, S., & Meyer, H. (2021). Preparing Adult Learners for Success in Blended Learning through Onboarding: A pilot study. eLearn, 2021(9).  

Schilling, H., Wittner, B., & Kauffeld, S. (2022). Current interventions for the digital onboarding of first-year students in higher education institutions: A scoping review. Education Sciences, 12(8), 551.  

Stoebe, A., & Grebing, R. (2020). The effect of new student orientations on the retention of online students. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 23(2), 1-9.  

Winkelmes, M. (n.d.). Transparency Frameworks and Resources. TILT Higher Ed.  

Winkelmes, M. (2013). Transparent Assignment Design Template for Teachers. TILT Higher Ed.  

Winkelmes, M. (2019). “Introduction: The Story of TILT and Its Emerging Uses in Higher Education.” in Transparent Design in Higher Education Teaching and Leadership. Routledge. 

Winkelmes, M.-A. (2017, May 9). Designing transparent assignments for equitable learning opportunities [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/xqUQhSKmD9U 

Resources 

Teaching Beyond the Podium podcast (Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Florida): First Day of Class Strategies | Transcript (.pdf)
Center for Teaching Excellence (University of Florida): Winning Strategies (.pdf) 

Author: Jennifer Parker, Ed.D. 

Updated on August 12, 2025