Universities across Canada and the world have been working to rapidly move their face-to-face classes to remote delivery. While digital technologies enable people to work and learn from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, this huge task of seeking to meet particular learning objectives while going online ultimately falls to the people-the educators and students-who are behind the screens. My research on educational technologies and social media in higher education shows how human connections and meaningful interactions are an essential part of the learning process, especially online. As teachers and instructors shift to a digital environment, remembering our human capacities and prioritizing elements of interaction that make learning meaningful will be valuable. Focusing on what people really need by starting from a place of empathy and compassion will help teachers-or others leading workplace transitions to online collaboration and work-keep in mind what's most important as our society gets through this crisis. Human connections and meaningful interactions are an essential part of the learning process, especially online.
