[1A1] Five simple approaches towards building strong student-teacher relationships in large cohorts

July 18, 2022 from 9:35 am to 9:50 am

Track: Track A
Track: Location: Abercrombie Building H70 Lecture Theatre 1110, Track 1A Zoom
Speaker: Hamish Fernando

While preparing to coordinate my first ever unit, BMET2901/9901 (Anatomy and Physiology for Engineers) in the middle of the 2021 lockdown, I was faced with the challenge of connecting effectively with a cohort of more than 150 students. In this presentation, I offer some easily implementable suggestions to build and maintain strong teacher-student relationships as a unit coordinator, within even the largest cohorts (1000+). These include strategies to make students feel that they are an integral part of the unit (using pre- and early-semester surveys), weekly “look-ahead”s which sets up each week in an upbeat manner while also summarising the importance of the work that is to be done, personalised e-mails using Student Relationship Engagement System (SRES) at strategic points throughout the semester, “no-questions-asked” simple extensions, and my personal favourite: being their biggest fans.