It’s Quality Matters Monday! Each Monday, we will highlight a Quality Matters standard and review its importance in an online course and how we evaluate this standard.

Today, we are reviewing Quality Matters Standard 1.9.

Click here to view Quality Matters Standard 1.9 in the Quality Matters Rubric. This standard addresses the inclusion of an opportunity for learners to introduce themselves to the class.

Student introductions at the beginning of the class help to create a welcoming learning environment and a sense of community. Creating a learning community encourages students to turn to one another for assistance, as well as create professional and personal connections that can transcend the boundaries of the classroom.

There are several ways you can prompt this in your course:

1. Basic Method

a. Provide students with a list of questions to which you would like them to respond in their introductory post.

b. For example:

For your introductory post, please provide the following information:
1. Tell us your name and, if you have a nickname, let us know what you like to be called.
2. Tell us what your major is, or what areas of study you are pursuing.
3. If you feel comfortable, tell us a little about where you are from and any hobbies that you enjoy.
4. Tell us what you hope you get out of this class and how you hope it will help you in your future college courses.

Once you have created your post, respond to at least two of your classmates. See if there are others who have the same interests as you or who have posted something that you find interesting. Let’s all talk a little as we get started!

2. A Little More Creative

a. Two Truths and a Lie

b. For this activity, ask students to introduce themselves and provide three statements – two of which are lies, one of which is true. The other students try to guess which statements are true and which are lies. This introduction idea can make for some lively conversation!

3. Even More Creative

a. Stranded on a Desert Island

b. This one can be done various ways but we recommend the method captured in 8 Icebreakers Adapted for Online Student Communities, Part 1:

“If you knew you would be stranded on a desert island for 1 year, which 5 objects would you bring with you? Keep in mind there is NO electricity on the island! Choose your objects carefully then explain your choices in a short paragraph. Once you have completed your selections and posted your explanation, read and respond to at least 3 peers.”

The best location for this discussion is in the “Start Here” section of the course or the first discussion of Module 1.

Click here to access Quality Matters eLearning Marketplace. The Quality Matters eLearning Marketplace is a free, searchable database built to serve the broad QM community with an easy-to-use eLearning product/service directory organized within the 8 general standards of the rubric as well as by user and product categories.