Traditional written journaling assignments have long been used to promote reflection in online courses, yet many students experience them as isolating, repetitive, or disconnected from their peers. This session explores an innovative approach that combines short-form video reflection assignments with optional written prompts to foster stronger community, presence, and engagement in online learning environments. Drawing from implementation in asynchronous college-level science courses, this talk demonstrates how low-stakes video reflections, guided by intentional prompts, can humanize the online classroom, encourage peer connection, and support deeper cognitive processing without increasing grading burden. Attendees will learn how video-based reflections help students articulate understanding, share perspectives, and feel seen in the course, while still maintaining academic rigor. Participants will leave with practical strategies for designing effective video reflection prompts, integrating them alongside or in place of traditional journals, and scaffolding student participation to reduce anxiety and increase buy-in. This session is applicable across disciplines and is especially valuable for educators seeking scalable ways to build community and increase engagement in online or hybrid courses.