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Start the class with a personal introduction forum so that students can get to know one another as you get to know them. The types of info often shared by instructors and students include information about interests, personal information such as family/friends/pets, and a photograph. You could include something about your teaching philosophy or area of special interest. You may want to consider using FlipGrid for a more interactive forum format.
First 2 weeks of class are very important in establishing a positive community and forming a connection between teachers and students is vital to student success. Students will appreciate "seeing" you.
Establish a general open student forum for students to post and request help and assistance from each other.
Set up small study groups of 2 or 3 where students can assume responsibility for supportive mentoring of fellow students and summarizing key points of a class assignment. You could also assign students or student teams to monitor and support or direct questions.
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**This list is a condensed version of this article: Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online (Links to an external site.) Quick Guide for New Online Faculty (Links to an external site.) by J. V. Boettcher, Ph.D.
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