The Research Proves: Social Presence is Vital

Text-based discussions and PDFs cannot give students what you can. The foundation of any successful course is a strong social presence and VoiceThread can help you deliver that element. Students don’t want to feel like they’re just submitting assignments into a void; they want to know their instructor is present, engaged, and genuinely invested in their learning.

This isn’t just our opinion though; the research tells us that social presence, the sense of being “there” and engaged with others in a digital space, is very important for student satisfaction and success. One study by found a strong correlation between social presence and both student satisfaction and perceived learning in online courses. Another study demonstrated that instructor presence, particularly through video and audio interactions, significantly increased student engagement and motivation.

So how do you establish social presence in an online course?

At VoiceThread, we believe that establishing a social presence starts with rethinking how we interact with students. Are we simply posting content for students to consume, or are we creating an interactive learning experience? Online education doesn’t have to feel like a self-paced correspondence course. It should be dynamic, engaging, and most importantly, human.

A major challenge of online learning is the lack of non-verbal cues. In a traditional classroom, students pick up on tone, facial expressions, and body language, all of which play a huge role in communication. In text-based online courses, this layer of interaction is absent, making students feel disconnected. Research confirms this: when social presence is low, students report higher feelings of isolation and lower levels of motivation.

Some educators try live video meetings, but those come with logistical headaches like scheduling conflicts, time zone differences, and technical difficulties. In live meetings, only one person can speak at a time, which can limit participation and make it difficult for every student to contribute or feel heard. Asynchronous tools like VoiceThread provide the perfect balance of flexibility and engagement. With VoiceThread, students and instructors can communicate using voice, video, and text, allowing for richer, more meaningful interactions and because it’s asynchronous, every student gets an equal chance to contribute, reflect, and engage at their own pace.

Online learning has so many advantages: flexibility, accessibility, and scalability. But none of those matter if students feel disconnected. Social presence isn’t an add-on, or a nice side element, it’s essential for student success. By incorporating tools that foster human connection, we can transform online courses into vibrant, interactive learning communities.

Let’s bring the human element back to online learning. Let’s make sure students know they’re not just speaking into the void; they’re part of a real, engaged learning community.