There is a lot involved in attrition management!

I have learned that I need to be very precise on how I present discussion questions and how I respond to them. 

I am currently training to be an online instructor and I am wondering if some of you could share your methods of engaging the students that do not normally contribute in the discussion forums.  There all always quiet students in the classroom that are harder to engage but I would think it would be even more difficult online.  I am just hoping to get some thoughts on this from more experienced online instructors.

I think creating a bio is a good idea but having the students create a bio of themselves is a fabulous idea for an online environment.  I see how this can allow for all of us to make a connection.  I also think having a facility for asynchronous discussion unrelated to the course is a brilliant idea.  I would definitely use these ideas for my online courses.

I would love to here how you keep the students engaged in online courses and what you do to reach each student individually.

I have learned that the content that I present must be clear and consice to better help the students navigate the on-line learning environment.  They need to know that as an instructor, I always there to help guide them through the process of learning.

I will use this forum and the ideals from other instructors to make the learning process more engaging for my students.