Welcome Letter

Before your course even starts, we recommend that you write and email your students a welcome letter a few days or even a week before.

What information belongs in a welcome letter?

Remind students that they have an online/virtual course that is starting... and remind them of the start date!
Provide them an initial introduction to you: who you are, what this course is about, your contact info
Include some basic information about your course! When does it start, how to log in, first week activities, etc.

The trick is balancing the need for information and the need for brevity. An effective welcome letter can help your students feel prepared and oriented and can create an atmosphere of warmth and engagement—virtually!

"Keep it concise! A long welcome letter, won't make our students feel welcomed, but it may add stress or get skipped. Be a source for getting their questions answered."
~ Dayna Hashimoto-Barao, Dental Assisting

Tone

When we speak, the words are accompanied by a host of cues that help the listener unpack the message. These cues, called paralanguage, include the volume, tone, speed, and even our accent. Listeners use these cues to help decipher the message.

Writing, however, lacks paralanguage. It can be hard to hear someone's tone, and we are prone to misreading written words depending on our own mood and writing preferences. Some research suggests that writing in our online classes—at least some of it—should be informal and invite word play, slang, and even non-traditional spelling and grammar. Using emoticons/emojis can also help convey goodwill. Try to be friendly and human, and your students will respond likewise!

"Tell your students how much you are looking forward to getting to know them and being a part of their 'educational journey.'"
~ Cathy Draper, Health

Instructions

Since your online course doesn't have a building and room number, students will need you to briefly explain how they'll access your course, and they will definitely need explicit instructions for when—and where—they need to log in. Since most welcome letters are emailed, you may even want to include a link to the login portal—though it may seem obvious to you, it could be hard to find for a new student.

"I usually send some Canvas how-to links so that [students] can familiarize themselves with Canvas if they are using it for the first time."
~ Nirmal Gosavi, Biology

In addition for instructions on how and when to log in, students will need to know what they should do in week one (and when they should do it!). Think carefully about this, as students dropping and adding are an important part of your administrative work in a class. How do you want students to demonstrate that they are not only logged in, but working?

"I include my e-mail address and encourage students to send e-mail if they have questions from the very beginning."
~ Chris Carducci, Child Development

You may have noticed we have some "tips" throughout this page that fellow faculty have shared as key qualities of effective welcome letters. We encourage you to check out the following resources for additional guidance!

Additional Resources

Welcome Letter Template

Cathy Draper's Fall 2020 Welcome Letter

CVC-OEI resource page for first time online learners or returning students - Preparing for Online Learning