Psychology professor Steve Ross of  Mid Michigan College will share how he designed his online courses with one major goal: helping students feel that someone is genuinely teaching them. Drawing on educational research and examples from his own courses, Steve will share strategies for creating meaningful instructor presence through humor and intentional course design. He will showcase welcome videos, weekly announcements, talk-show-style lectures, humorous multimedia, and other techniques he uses to humanize online learning, increase engagement, and build stronger connections with students. Steve hopes attendees will leave with practical ideas to make their own online courses feel more personal, engaging, and welcoming. Workshop is part of The unDistance Learning Conference 2026, hosted by Georgia State University. Register Now!