Generally I would have thought of "face to face" or over the phone counseling sessions with students, but it is true that one could counsel via email which is an effective method in the online setting. 

I enjoyed the fact that feedback should be worded in a way that encourages students to participate more, to build their self confidence, and ultimately improve their motivational levels within the online courses.

I found that making your presence known in an online setting is critical to your students success. The fact is, students want to know that an instructor is there, not just a computer screen. Taking the time to send out reminders, add information to a QA forum, having office hours, and more are all great ways to allow your students know that you are there to help. 

Instructors should take various approaches in order to effectively engage and teach their students. As instructors we generally realize this, but taking the time to have the full range of knowledge and understanding of the learning management platform being used in order to convey the information needed will be key. Knowing how to use all the tools in the online classroom will be vital to your and your students success within the online classroom setting.