Student introductions help to create a supportive learning environment and a sense of community. Ice breakers serve many purposes, including creating an open and pleasant environment, fostering group familiarity, and encouraging involvement. Examples of online ice breakers may range from posting reasons for enrolling in the course, writing brief bios, responding to other students' posts, to discovering interests about classmates, introducing a partner, finding commonalities, and coming up with self-portraits.

Students can be asked to introduce themselves and given guidance on where and how they should do so. Instructors may ask students to answer specific questions (such as why they are taking the course, what concerns they have, what they expect to learn, etc.) or may choose to let the student decide what to include. Instructors may provide an example of an introduction and/or start the process by introducing themselves. Student introductions should not be evaluated, but may be given credit for completion.

MSU's Learning Management System (LMS) provides a profile for each student. Students can add photographs of themselves to their profiles. Instructors may wish to ask that they do this.

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