When Online Feels Like a Classroom : A Yellowdig Story
Allison Brown Augusta University Challenge: Asynchronous learning has a reputation problem. Faculty and students assume that without live sessions, real engagement simply cannot exist. “The need for engagement hasn’t changed. When you’re online, you need the same level of engagement as in a classroom. We just need platforms that actually support it.” The human moment […]
When Faculty Say Yes : A Yellowdig Story
Marcia Bohn Youville University Challenge: Faculty hesitation is real. Moving a course online creates immediate anxiety around interaction, engagement, and technology adoption. As Marcia shared, “I don’t know, but I’m gonna trust you. And then we introduce them to Yellowdig, and after that first week, faculty come back and say, ‘I love this.’” The human […]
Seeing The Students Before They Fall : A Yellowdig Story
Maha Migdadi New Mexico State University Global Challenge: When a student starts falling behind, the instructor is often the last to know, especially when teaching multiple courses at once. Without visibility into engagement, support arrives too late, after students have already disengaged, fallen behind, or quietly decided to leave. The human moment Maha has seen […]
The Instructor Is Still the Best Technology : A Yellowdig Story
Nicholas DeMayo American University Challenge: Faculty adoption of new tools and platforms is often slowed by fatigue, too many platforms, too little time, and a lack of a clear path from tool to outcome. The question isn’t just which tool to choose. It’s about keeping faculty at the center of learning and using technology to […]
Building Belonging Before Day One : A Yellowdig Story
Dr. Heidi Blair Augusta University Challenge: Many institutions wait until orientation, or even the first class session to begin building connections with students. But as Dr. Blair shared, “What about when they get admitted? How do we let them know right away that they belong?” The challenge isn’t just onboarding students. It’s helping them feel […]
When Engagement Disappears : A Yellowdig Story
Nan Nicholls Slippery Rock University Challenge: Student disengagement has become more visible. As Nan shared: “In the classroom, it seems that students are disengaged… people being distracted by their phones… that’s what I’ve observed.” Participation drops, attention shifts, and meaningful interaction becomes harder to sustain. The human moment Nan described seeing a growing shift from […]
When Vulnerability Leads to Engagement : A Yellowdig Story
Dr Heather Young University of Florida Challenge: In large online courses, students often feel like just a “face on a screen” or a number. Traditional discussion boards often result in “compliance” posts, posting once and replying twice just to check a box,which lack originality and real connection. The human moment Dr. Young shared a […]
Burnout Isn’t Just Workload… It’s Emotional Load : A Yellowdig Story
LaToya Devezin Penn West University Challenge: Faculty burnout is no longer just about time. It’s the pressure of large classes, constant grading, and trying to support every student—often all at once. The human moment LaToya described what burnout actually feels like behind the scenes. It’s not just the volume of work; it’s the expectation to […]
Why Discussions Don’t Feel Like Conversations : A Yellowdig Story
Jill AndersonNC State University Challenge: Online course discussions lack real conversation. Students participate out of obligation, and faculty must grade every interaction. Engagement becomes routine, not meaningful. The human moment Jill described a frustration many instructors recognize immediately. Discussion boards, meant for interaction, often fail. Instead of real dialogue, students simply complete assignments. As […]
It Went Off Track… Then Got Better : A Yellowdig Story
John BellottiUniversity of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Challenge: In asynchronous courses, students often feel isolated. Discussion boards are structured. Interactions are required. But a real connection? Rare. The human moment John shared a moment from an online accounting course that changed how he viewed engagement. The conversation started normally and stayed focused on the topic. Then it drifted. […]