{"id":1128,"date":"2025-02-24T09:57:12","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T14:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/edvice\/?p=1128"},"modified":"2025-03-20T09:02:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T13:02:30","slug":"crafting-space-for-student-belonging-part-iv-clear-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/edvice\/2025\/02\/24\/crafting-space-for-student-belonging-part-iv-clear-communication\/","title":{"rendered":"Crafting Space for Student Belonging Part IV: Clear Communication"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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By Dana Dawson and Denise Hardiman<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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At a recent CAT event, a newly hired faculty member visiting our offices for the first time shared how hard it had been to find us. This news wasn\u2019t entirely surprising; we are nestled so deeply in the Tech Center that a campus tornado warning would have no impact on our day-to-day operations. But it wasn\u2019t the location of our offices that proved to be the issue; it was the building itself. Our location is listed as the \u201cTech Center\u201d on all of our communications, but on Temple\u2019s campus map, it appears as the \u201cWelcome Center \/ TECH Center,\u201d no doubt to help prospective students find their way. Check Google maps and you will see \u201cThe Welcome Center\u201d in hyperlinked purple, large and eye-catching next to small black lettering that reads, somewhat mysteriously, \u201cTemple University Tech Center and\u2026\u201d. (And what? Tornado shelter, possibly? No amount of zooming in reveals the answer.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

What this faculty member needed was clearly communicated directions. And this is what our students need as well! Without a clear sense of where we should be going and what we should be doing, we\u2019re left wandering, often turning to the help of strangers who may not know the answer (as happened with the new faculty member noted above) or worst case, steer us astray. When our students aren\u2019t sure what to do first, where to go for help, how to find readings and assignments and so forth, they end up feeling as lost as a newly-hired academic trying to find a tornado shelter. Clear communication ensures our students know how to navigate our courses successfully while feeling confident, supported,\u00a0 and comfortable in our learning environments. So we\u2019re offering here some strategies to ensure\u00a0 clear communication in our courses\u2014both in conveying and receiving information.<\/span><\/p>

Multiple Means of Communication<\/b><\/h3>

At the start of a new semester, students often feel uncertain and uneasy about what to expect from a new instructor and unknown course material. Offering multiple ways for students to contact you can help ease this uncertainty.<\/span><\/p>

Your syllabus includes a wealth of information (see our previous blog post <\/span>\u201cBuilding a Better Syllabus\u201d<\/span><\/a> to find tips on crafting a welcoming syllabus). Consider copying the contact information and pertinent student resources listed in your syllabus and prominently displaying them on the Front Page of your Canvas course so that students have easy access to this information without paging through the entire syllabus document.<\/span><\/p>

When providing your contact information\u2014such as your email address, phone number (optional), or office hours (more on these below), be sure to set clear parameters and expectations. For example:<\/span><\/p>