You had Me at "Hello" - Maximizing the Power of QM Introductions

A QM Connect 2019 Grapevine, Texas session featuring a motorcycle riding petite instructor/presenter who incorporated "Two Truths and a Lie""as a fun Introduction prompt became our inspiration! Wow! No more boring introductions allowed! Now we use the QM mandated introduction as part of efforts to build and measure social presence and social capital in a cohort model. Our prompts fall into three categories: course-related, course-related fun, and just plain fun! We use introductions with both serious and humorous approaches to gauge students' interest and confidence levels regarding course topics. By considering Table of Contents preferences and students' self-confidence ratings ranging from math phobic to future finance gurus, faculty can gain valuable insights as courses begin and tweak their instructional approaches. We have fun too. Our legal instructor asks about favorite cookies. Another instructor invites discussion of the most fun you have ever had.., that you can talk about. And then there is ""Two Truths and a Tall Tale"". (Hey - we're a faith-based university!) But all joking aside, QM introductions have serious potential! Join us to learn more about research on social presence and social capital, measuring social presence with course evaluations and tools from the literature, and using introductions to provide instructional insights as well as build community!