How technology can amplify connections in online classrooms

When I first started teaching online during the pandemic, I often wondered: How do I know if my students are OK when their cameras are off? The question wasn’t about attendance. It was about well-being. Teaching in hybrid and online spaces revealed a deeper truth: technology could either widen disconnection or strengthen community, depending on how we used it. 

Through my work integrating socio-emotional learning (SEL) into higher education, I have learned that when used with empathy and intention, technology becomes more than a teaching tool; it becomes a bridge that helps educators listen beyond the screen, notice what isn’t said and create spaces where students feel seen, supported and connected.

Use digital check-ins as a bridge, not a checkbox

One of the simplest yet most powerful practices I have adopted was to start each week with a short digital check-in, often a quick poll, asking, “How are you feeling today?” It isn’t graded, and responses aren’t displayed publicly, but it gives me an instant sense of the emotional climate of the class.

In large classrooms, where individual conversations are difficult, these tools have become invaluable. Before stepping into an in-person lecture, I review the check-in dashboard to get a snapshot of how students are doing – whether tired, overwhelmed, hopeful or confused. Based on those responses, I can begin the session with quick grounding exercises such as a short stretch, a one-minute breathing practice or a reminder that it is OK to ask for help.

Students have shared that these small gestures make them feel seen. Digital check-ins, whether through polls, forms or collaborative boards, don’t replace conversations, but they create the conditions for them. They signal that well-being is part of learning, not an afterthought.

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Create asynchronous spaces for emotional processing

Not every student feels comfortable voicing their struggles in a live classroom, especially when those struggles are emotional, personal or shaped by cultural expectations. To support more reserved or overwhelmed students, I began using anonymous digital reflection boards, particularly those on Padlet, where students could share how they were coping with workload, motivation, stress or life beyond university.

What emerged on these boards were the invisible layers of student life: learners juggling caregiving duties, long commutes, part-time jobs or mental health challenges they had never mentioned aloud. The anonymity of Padlet removed the fear of judgement, allowing students to express themselves more openly and honestly.

These reflections helped me make informed adjustments: slowing the pace when needed, clarifying instructions or integrating brief well-being pauses, without asking students to expose personal details publicly. For students, it created a safe emotional outlet that empowered them to advocate for their needs, even silently. In the modules I teach, I invite students to co-create a digital story wall about moments they felt supported in learning. What emerged was a collective archive of kindness: peers commenting, sharing resources and realising they weren’t alone.

Use technology to notice students

Technology offers powerful tools for tracking engagement, but the intention behind their use matters. Rather than treating analytics only as engagement tracking tools, I use them to uncover signals of student well-being. When I notice a sudden drop in participation or activity, I send a gentle email such as, “I’ve noticed you’ve been quieter recently. How are you doing?” More often than not, this has opened the door to honest conversations about burnout, personal challenges or academic confusion.

Use collaborative digital tools to create community

Digital platforms can also spark connection and collaboration, especially in large or hybrid classrooms. Tools such as Google Docs, Miro or Mentimeter allow students to co-create knowledge in real time, even when they are not ready to speak aloud. I often begin teaching a complex topic by asking students to brainstorm ideas or questions anonymously on a shared board. This crowdsourced thinking levels the playing field: the confident voices don’t dominate, and hesitant students still contribute meaningfully. Collaborative digital work also reveals patterns – what students are confused about, curious about or emotionally drawn to, helping me adapt teaching in the moment. 

Technology, when guided by empathy and intentionality, can make learning both accessible and affirming. It allows us to extend care beyond the classroom walls, reminding both students and educators that connection, even when mediated through a screen, can still be profoundly human and can positively impact well-being.

Bhawana Shrestha is a research fellow at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s Learning Institute for Future Excellence. 

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