Hi James, I would have class introductions and an ice breaker to get them talking among themselves. This helps to set a comfortable tone for the class. After that you can take them through the syllabus and the course expectations. I like to do an activity that has a very high success rate and low stress so that everyone goes away from the first class feeling like he/she can be successful. You can also have them write down and discuss their expectations for the course as a part of the first day. The key is to get them feeling like they can accomplish the course requirements, will get along well with you and that they take away some valuable course content and skills. Gary