Composing a welcome message

The first welcome message sets the scene for conference members and helps them to clarify their expectations of the conversations to come – much in the same way as room layout, handouts, session plan, presenter’s clothes even, do in face to face sessions.

All the examples on this page are taken from previous LSHTM tutors.

It's helpful to post an informal welcoming message, giving key information including

what this place is (e.g. “Welcome to EP305 Block 2 Genetic Epidemiology”)
who you are (e.g. “My name is Claire and I am a statistician working at LSHTM”
the purpose of this space (e.g. “The aim of the web board is to allow you to ask questions, and to talk to the unit staff and other students about this unit.”)
when to expect a response (e.g. “I will try and answer your queries within two weeks.”).

Some tips:

Think about clarifying, not just the role of the tutor(s), but also how the students are expected to behave e.g.
“I therefore hope you will interact among yourselves and take active roles in the discussions.”

“Please introduce yourselves to me and to your colleagues before you start.”

It’s important to give permission explicitly for the behaviour you’d like to see.
Similarly, you could give the purpose of the conference and say something about the rationale about why it has been designed this way e.g.
“I guess it might be a bit frightening in the beginning to post a message – just as it is a bit frightening in the beginning to raise a question in a face-to-face seminar. However, it is generally accepted that students can learn a lot from each other – and often it’s the mistakes, our own or those of others, that we learn most from. So, please try to see the web board as an opportunity for a free exchange of thoughts, ideas and questions, to the profit of all EPP students.”
One thing you’ll need to do in introductions is explain what queries you can answer and what you can’t. Avoid presenting such a welcoming face that you are inundated with questions that aren’t appropriate. It’s a good idea to anticipate that students might have other questions e.g.
“.. for any other queries you have about delivery of study materials, examinations etc, please see the other conferences”

Try to be specific about where they’d need to go to get these answers.