Student-student relationships

Introduction to the survey  

With the help of a questionnaire, students were asked to explain what kind of activities, forms of communication, learning platforms and tools can help build functional, positive relationships (student-student and teacher-student) in digital learning environments. The questionnaire was available to students from April to December 2022 and a total of 77 responses were obtained from various Finnish universities.   

While the survey mainly focused on the relationship-building aspect of online synchronous learning, the information presented here also covers some aspects related to asynchronous learning. 

1. Good atmosphere  
92% feel that having positive group chemistry enhances relationship-building.  

2. Working in small groups  
90% state that working in small groups helps in forming relationships.  

3. Engaging in small talk, introducing oneself and getting to know one another    
83 % say that engaging in chitchat with peers and 79% state that introducing oneself and getting to know one another improve relationships. 

4. Seeing one’s peers on the screen  
78% say that seeing one’s peers on the screen is important for relationship-building. 

What does it mean?   

Students agree that having positive group chemistry makes it easier to build relationships with other students. Team chemistry is frequently associated with harmonious and effective interaction which assists in both building a pleasant atmosphere in the group as well as improving its productivity. 

What do the students find helpful?   

“Että juttelemme myös ilman opettajaa, se tuntuu vapaamuotoisemmalta ja parantaa ryhmäkemiaa.” [That we also chat without the teacher, it feels more informal and improves group chemistry.] 

“When you get to talk about things that interest you more freely it’s easier to connect.” 

“I mean a nice vibe for everyone and willing to share, is very important.”

Practical tips: 
 

Think of ways to help students feel comfortable around one another. Ensure proper introductions of both the teacher and the students at the beginning of the course. 

Strongly encourage the use of cameras and talk about the advantages of seeing each other on the screen. 

Recommend that students share responsibility for participating in the conversations. Suggest that the more outspoken students encourage their peers to speak out and ask the quieter students to challenge themselves and voice their thoughts.  

Students who participate in asynchronous courses may miss the social component and sense of community that can be more easily achieved in a classroom setting. Consider pointing this out to the students at the beginning of the course and highlight that they should be aware of how this might affect their motivation. Encourage students to engage in the course as much as possible – visit the learning platform on an everyday basis, connect with others who are taking the course, contact the teacher and make sure to schedule study time in their calendar. 

What does it mean?   

Working together towards a common goal in small teams allows students to get to know each other better. Small group work increases students’ interaction with one another and may lower their threshold for communicating in a foreign language. Students would prefer to remain in the same small group for the length of the course. 

What do the students find helpful?   

“Staying in the same group throughout the whole class/lecture is a better option than constantly changing or mixing groups. It is more difficult to build a relationship with anyone if you keep getting new faces all the time and end up in in a situation where you do not have any new relationships because every communication was so superficial.” 

“If there aren’t any exercises together/to have something bring us closer together [it is hard to build a relationship].”  

Practical tips: 

Create small groups (3-4 students seems to be considered an ideal size) in breakout rooms for facilitating teamwork in online settings. It is important that the teacher lays down some basic game rules for teamwork and chooses appropriate tasks, tools, or role assignments to ensure that everyone contributes and benefits equally. However, to foster independence, interaction, and peer support, it may also be useful to allow students to create their own rules and to give them the freedom to work together based on their individual strengths and needs for development. The teacher should regularly check in on the groups to ensure progress and group harmony. 

What does it mean?   

Informal, chitchat discussions with other students are integral for getting to know one another, forming relationships and for establishing a positive atmosphere. 

What do the students find helpful?   

“When you get to talk about things that interest you more freely it’s easier to connect.”  

“Että juttelemme myös ilman opettajaa, se tuntuu vapaamuotoisemmalta ja parantaa ryhmäkemiaa.” [That we also chat without the teacher, it feels more informal and improves group chemistry.] 

“Online courses remove a lot of social interaction and casual situations in which you could make friends and get to know your classmates, for example simply talking to someone outside of the classroom while waiting for your lesson to start” 

“There is not enough time to get to know the people and all the time working in groups is used to do the tasks.” / “We just do the tasks, sometimes chat when there is time. it’s not like we have time or means to get to know each other.” 

Practical tips: 

Be a role model; start the lesson with some small talk of your own and chitchat with individual students as they log in to the lesson. Allow time for small talk and use ice-breaker activities not only in the very first lessons but throughout the course, as part of other activities.   

Since small talk is difficult to include in asynchronous courses, make sure you dedicate adequate time to introductions. You might also consider inviting students to a virtual kick-off meeting. 
 

What does it mean?   

Getting to know everyone’s faces is key in building a relationship, and for that, it is a good idea to have the cameras on. Also, language learning is not only about listening and producing words, but body language, too, plays an important role in getting one’s message across. Seeing the facial expressions of the person you are talking to makes communicating in a foreign language easier.  

What do the students find helpful?   

Most students find seeing one’s peers on the screen helpful. What makes it hard to build a relationship with other students is: 

“It is very hard to read body language in a virtual meeting, which makes group work difficult. It works, but it is very challenging and requires a lot more energy than real life learning. I am always exhausted after this.” 

“The most difficult, merely impossible, it is when cameras are off and you cannot see each other.” 

“Cameras off, poor connections, poor timing” 

“not being able to see the other person” 

Practical tips: 

Encourage the use of cameras. Show an example and always have your camera on. Explain that this is also practice for working life. Although you cannot force anyone, you can request, for example, that cameras are on in breakout rooms during groupwork. 

Emphasize the importance of body language in language learning. Particularly lower-level learners need the affirmative nods and smiles of their discussion partner.  

When designing discussion activities for asynchronous courses, consider asking students to discuss a topic through video or audio messages. You can also ask the students to schedule virtual meetings. If your asynchronous course includes an oral presentation assignment in which the students submit a presentation video, highlight the importance of the students themselves being visible in the video (not only the presentation slides)