8 Ways to Make Your Online Course More Authentic

Lessons from the Ross School of Business on how to engage your online students

Sarah DeWard is a senior learning experience designer and Toon Mertens is a media services manager in the Office of Digital Education at University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Technology has improved higher education, bringing access and opportunity to student populations for whom traditional in-class programs were out of reach. It amplifies the wisdom and insight of experts and creates efficient delivery of course instruction. 

Yet, along with the vibrant videos and immersive activities, learners also want human connection. Research shows that online students perform better when they interact with their teachers and classmates and are drawn to instruction that feels personal and authentic.

The University of Michigan Ross School of Business has prioritized that balance of rigorous education and interpersonal interaction in its Online Master of Business Administration degree program. By prioritizing authenticity in its state-of-the-art online courses, Ross learning experience designers, media designers, and instructors have elevated the student experience. However, you don’t need a dedicated office of professionals to make your course more relatable and engaging. Here are eight ways that you can make your course more authentic:

1. Make Sure Your Course Design and Visuals Match Your Vibe

Courses shine when they reflect your unique vision and style. When we design courses at Ross, we pair faculty with learning experience and visual designers to co-create the course’s identity. Our learning designers look for ways to include the faculty’s personality in text phrasing and assessments. Love telling that corny joke each semester? Bring it into your online course. Find a fun way to incorporate them into your online exams. 

Visually, it sometimes begins with a favorite color palette; other times, it’s sparked by a love of David Bowie or Impressionist art. It gets quirky fast—but that’s the point. When visuals reflect who you are, your course becomes more than just a collection of modules. It becomes yours.

Don’t have access to a designer? No problem. Choose colors that feel like you. Ditch generic stock photos in favor of your travel pics, sketches, or something personal. Small touches—like a consistent font or a playful icon—can give your course a distinct tone. Your students will notice, which helps them feel like they’re being taught by a real person, not a template.

2. Include Action-Based or Project-Based Learning

A big part of authentic learning is connecting course concepts to the real world. No matter what you’re teaching, linking your content to students’ daily lives can boost their understanding. Consider using social media posts, podcasts, or news clips to make your lessons more relatable.

Ross is committed to Action-Based and Project-Based learning. Most courses include team projects connected to real-world business problems. Sure, students can learn multiple regression models using standard datasets, but imagine the impact if they apply these concepts to real business questions, like analyzing data from a local cinema. This approach not only makes learning more exciting but also more meaningful. It’s all about bringing those lessons to life!

3. Commit to ‘Relationships Before Pedagogy’

Students learn more effectively when they feel a connection with their instructor. Studies reveal a strong correlation between frequent interpersonal interaction and improved grades in online courses. However, students often feel less connected to their instructors in online settings compared to traditional classrooms. When they perceive a lack of “caring” from their online instructors, students report feeling isolated and believe they must “teach themselves.” At Ross, faculty engagement is paramount. Faculty interact with students using first names, engage in personal email exchanges, and offer long-term connections post-graduation. 

To help students feel connected, it’s essential to make your presence known. Consider responding promptly to student inquiries and updating your course content in real time. Hold online office hours and designated chat times to increase accessibility, and stay after live sessions for informal interactions. Actively participate in discussion boards to encourage deeper conversations and provide personalized feedback on assignments.

Additionally, creating a “Get to Know Your Professor” page with photos and personal facts can add a human touch. These efforts can significantly enhance student engagement and connection. At Ross, we enhance instructor presence by holding live sessions. Using Zoom, each student can interact in real time with faculty subject matter experts.

4. Foster a Peer-to-Peer Community of Inquiry

Students thrive when they feel connected to their classmates. Researchers reviewed 23 online courses, evaluating the clarity of learning objectives, the integration of technology, and the level of interpersonal interaction. The standout finding? Interpersonal interaction was the top predictor of student success. Students in courses with less interaction scored nearly a full grade lower than those in courses with more interaction. Connection is key!

When students are admitted to the Ross Online MBA program, they are invited to come to campus, see the Digital Education Studios, and meet each other. They join a community of other online learners and U-M more broadly. In addition, students can access residency courses that require both asynchronous learning and on-campus interactions.

5. Use Tech to Bring People Closer (Not Just to Show Off)

Yes, we’ve got a fancy teaching studio. The SmartStage lets our faculty teach in an immersive space that feels more like a live classroom than a Zoom box. It’s not about the tech—it’s about energy. When instructors can move, point, pace, and react like they would in person, their teaching style comes alive. The camera catches more than content; it catches presence.

But you don’t need a high-end studio to make your teaching feel human. Try standing up when you teach—it’ll give your delivery more energy. Use good lighting so students can see your face. Skip the Zoom background (we know you love the beach) and curate your real space instead: a plant, a bookshelf, a piece of art—anything that gives students a window into who you are. And when you run live sessions, don’t lecture—save that for async. 

Use the time to connect, interact, and make space for real-time reactions. Stay committed to your teaching goals and don’t feel pressured to use technology that doesn’t add value. Always remember, a clear and thoughtfully designed course makes a much bigger impact than any flashy, unnecessary extras.

6. Invite Students to Share Their Stories

Soliciting student feedback during a course fosters a sense of connection and value among students. It breaks down the traditional hierarchy between faculty and students, creating a more collaborative learning environment. Moreover, it offers vital pedagogical insights: What aspects of the course are effective? What needs improvement? At Ross, students can provide feedback at the end of each asynchronous module and synchronous live session through a Google form embedded on a Canvas page. This simple addition elicits important data about course content and delivery.

Additionally, we’ve seen huge success by incorporating alumni and past students into course videos. Why? because they’re relatable. They’ve taken the same class, survived the same assignments, and lived to apply what they learned in the real world. When they talk about what they learned, current students listen differently: That could be me.

These guest videos aren’t just “nice extras”—they’re bridges between theory and practice, between faculty and students. They show the ripple effects of your teaching and create a sense of community that extends beyond the course shell.

7. Know What Students Are Actually Watching

Let’s face it: your students watch YouTube on 1.5x speed while scrolling Instagram and listening to a podcast. So we studied what grabs their attention and changed how we create media. Here’s what we learned:

• Short is smart. Think highlight reels and mini-lessons, not 30-minute monologues.
  
• Skip the long intros. Get to the good stuff fast.
  
• Design for phones. If it doesn’t look good on mobile, it’s not working.
  
• Bring in new voices. Alumni, industry experts, and even student interviews add texture.
  
• Tell stories. A well-placed case study, ethical dilemma, or even scandal sticks way better than a list of facts.
  

When you meet students where they are (and how they think), your course doesn’t feel like homework—it feels like something worth watching.

8. Make Movies, Not Just Videos

When you create a course video, think like a filmmaker. Set the scene. Go on location. Use storytelling tricks like hooks, metaphors, and reveals. Instead of talking over slides, take us somewhere—physically or emotionally.

Maybe it’s a lesson about negotiation filmed at a bustling café. Or a story from your first job that ties into the week’s theme. You don’t have to be Martin Scorsese—just aim to be present. The more effort you put into making something worth watching, the more students will lean in, trust you, and want to learn from you.

Conclusion

Bottom line: In a sea of sameness, your authenticity is what stands out. You don’t need a Hollywood budget or a room full of tech to make it happen—just a little intentionality and a willingness to let your students see the real teacher behind the screen.

Practical Tips

• Update the course home page frequently 
• Embed images in your written announcements 
• Embed graphics for your online course 
• Create a video to introduce yourself to students
• Create a course tour video
• Record a 3-5 minute video to introduce a new learning module.
• Embed a 3-5 minute video of yourself sharing a story that personalizes content. 
• Provide some feedback in video or voice to make your message more meaningful and reduce the chance of it being misunderstood.

Resources

Ways to Incorporate Peer-to-Peer Learning in Your Classroom

References

Jaggers, S. & D. Xu. (2016). How do online course design features influence student performance? Computers & Education, 95(2).

Boz. D. & Hasan U. (2025). Humanizing online teaching: bringing the distant near. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 20(1).

Xu. et.al. (2025). Humaning college online instruction: The effects of professional development on faculty perceptions and instructional practices. The Internet and Higher Education. 65 (April).

Carroll, N., Lang, M., & Connolly, C. (2024). An extended community of inquiry framework supporting students in online and digital education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 62(2), 369–385. 

Maré, S., & Mutezo, A. T. (2025). The community of inquiry, shared metacognition, and student engagement in online learning: a systematic review. Interactive Learning Environments, 1–22. 

Shea, P., Richardson, J., & Swan, K. (2022).Building bridges to advance the Community of Inquiry framework for online learning.Educational Psychologist, 57(3), 148–161.
Brame CJ. Effective Educational Videos:Principles and Guidelines for Maximizing Student Learning from Video Content. CBE Life Sci Educ. (2016). Winter, 15(4).