A close examination of student successes and failures in online teaching can inform and improve future pedagogy. This reflective case study involves a close examination of how an online MSW course was conducted prompted by a significant drop in student qualitative and quantitative feedback in the end of term Student Evaluations of Teaching in Fall 2020. The main difference between that semester and previous semesters appeared to be the cessation of periodic synchronous meetings hosted by the instructor. In Spring 2021 the synchronous meetings were reincorporated into the course and both the qualitative and quantitative feedback in the end of term Student Evaluations of Teaching improved, suggesting a better student learning experience. Thus, the role of the students seeing real-time instructor interactions may strengthen students' sense of community, motivation to learn, and willingness to consider feedback. This has implications for the online student-instructor relationship and the instructor's social presence in the virtual classroom.