Relationship building with your students/participants is key. It is also necessary to project authority to establish trust with students, and so that they feel more confident about being supported. To establish authority and to help students feel supported, it is good to introduce yourself and mention your credentials. Afterwards, encourage them to introduce themselves by writing a short bio, and respond to the bio to connect with students.

Instructors must be fully knowledgable of the Course Management System to provide the best support for student learning. Both content support and technical support must be provided to students to address learning frustrations within an online platform. To be able to maximize student learning, it is important that instructors know how to navigate the CMS to create learning activities to engage students, stimulate and encourage discussion, and to address issues students may be experiencing.