Intimacy in online classrooms

Abstract In this article I describe the transition of a group university students in Australia into an online learning environment during COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. reflect upon my intersubjective experiences as lecturer unexpected situation urgency and physical distancing. Research has acknowledged synchronous virtual contexts less psychologically distancing than previously thought. argue that these can foster profound intimacy between participants through linguistic multimodal means. use auto-ethnographic narrative inquiry approach to share observations gained retrospectively multimodal, critically reflexive, social semiotic discourse analysis audio-visual recordings workshops conducted 2020. attempt fill gap research on educational settings by suggesting be created linguaplay, personal testimonies, contrived chaotic material ecologies . advocate moving away from obsession with standardising generating student knowledge formal stance values intimacy, connection, spontaneity.