New Books Network Flower Darby, "The Joyful Online Teacher: Finding Our Fizz in Asynchronous Classes" (U Oklahoma Press, 2026)
Apr 12, 2026
Flower Darby, associate director and veteran online instructor focused on joyful asynchronous teaching. She talks about designing clear, accessible courses. She explains small rapport-building moves, using emotion science to spark engagement, and practical ways to support instructor well-being while improving student persistence.
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Students Feel Left To Self Navigate Online Classes
- Students often report feeling they must ‘walk themselves through’ online classes and that instructors are absent or unresponsive.
- Darby links this to how many asynchronous courses are built months in advance and then treated as 'set-and-forget.'
Do The Tedious Course Prep First
- Prepare the course thoroughly before day one: clear navigation, up-to-date links, accessible materials, and explicit instructions.
- Darby compares this prep to car maintenance for a road trip—tedious but it prevents constant student confusion and emails.
Write Warm Announcements Like You Talk
- Infuse announcements and course text with your real voice and warmth rather than robotic reminders.
- Darby shifted from 'don't forget you have a quiz' to conversational, encouraging messages like 'hey, look how far you've come.'
