Fostering Student Engagement Through Showing Empathy and Caring in an Online College Course

Abstract

This chapter describes a collaborative action research project in which one post-secondary instructor used the experiences in her undergraduate teacher education course to learn how to best support students and peers in a health crisis and social justice uncertainty climate. The authors used empathy and care theories and universal design for learning (UDL) to plan, implement, and reflect on ways to empathize and show care for students in a course that was online due to COVID-19. Using the action research processes, the authors found five themes related to using UDL practices and showing empathy and caring. They conclude with recommendations for other instructors interested in supporting their students in online classes and in times of crisis.