Connections versus Clicks: Using PechaKucha (Presentation-based Chitchat) to Engage Online Students

Paradoxically, students who are socially connected in their lives beyond coursework often struggle to form comparable connections within online classroom contexts. Educators have also struggled to address these challenges within curricular designs, frequently prioritizing content delivery and technical functionality over the cultivation of meaningful social connections. As educators we must pause, reflect, and recenter our prioritizations around online teaching to emphasize connections as fundamental to effective teaching and learning. During this roundtable we will discuss the challenges of social connection prevalent within online classrooms and brainstorm ways to facilitate meaningful connections. Guided by an experiential learning framework, this session aims to provide attendees with concrete strategies for using PechaKucha and complementary technologies to foster transformative learning through online student connection and engagement.