The guide-on-the-side is an interesting concept to me. This seems to allow for the students to become a little more independent and seek out the solutions to the problems before asking the instructor for help. The instructor must be sure to provide the right kind and amount of feedback so they can keep the students engaged, but also independent.

It is important for students to have clear expectations of what good communication looks and feels like. The instructor can provide this information to the students in a clearly presented syllabus.

Providing a communication code of conduct will help to establish rules and guidelines for online communication between members of the class and the instructor

There are a number of different ways to communicate with the students in the class. Small group or one-on-one methods like email, FaceTime, and messaging, large group like Skype or Zoom, and social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. It is important to evaluate each possible method and determine if they meet your needs.

When making decisions regarding class content, a variety of tools should be considered in order to meet the needs of the students. 

It is important to determine which types of instruction work best for you and your classroom. Evaluating synchronous vs. asynchronous will help you pick the best one. The way that the teacher organizes the course content can help enhance student success.

Technology is important and can be use to engage students as well as keep the instructor organized. There are different types of technology tools that can be used like blogs, portfolios, podcasts, and learning management systems. It is also important to assess technology tools to determine which ones are effective and if changes should be made.

When revising a course it is important to use information from multiple sources. This can include information from self-reflection and information from student feedback and evaluations. Collecting both qualitative and quantitative data will also be helpful.

It is important to use both formative and summative assessment in the online community. This will allow the student to demonstrate a variety of skills and levels of knowledge. It is also important to provide clear rubrics for all assignments in order for the students to have clear expectations.

A clear syllabus will allow the students to have an idea of what will be going on in the class. This will also keep them on track and engaged throughout the class. Effective online communication is important to keep the students involved and feeling like they belong.