Nice touch - I think I can do more of this. I usually pull key messages out of the text and post some information but I handout or activity sheet is even better!

A good indicator for me is the amount of interactions I get from the "Introduce Yourself" thread. If the class is engaged and interacting a lot it lets me know they are going to need less nudging the interact as a cohort. When classes don't interact much in this initial post I will spur the conversation on and introduce a group activity early on to get them interacting with others. I am fairly new to technology outside of the discussion boards so I am taking a class that will assist me with ideas to implement various technology vehicles.

When teaching an online course it can be difficult to switch up how your content is delivered. You can accomplish this by assigning group projects or introducing different forms of technology like prerecorded messages to your class.

It is important when you meet your class to let them know right away that you are approachable and there to help and guide them through the class.

It can be hard to facilitate a class if the text your are using is not one you have choosen. If the text is dry you need to find ways to call out the key topics/learnings for the students to help them get engaged.

If you tell your students that late assignments are not accepted you need to follow your rule. As an instructor you will inevitably get a student or four that miss a homework assignment and want to turn it in late. It can be hard to tell someone that you are unable to accept their assignment even though they had some issues but it is the right thing to do.