I've learned it's important to clearly communicate exactly how students will be graded from Day One in the syllabus, establishment of virtual office hours, be prepared to use 1:1 virtual meetings, email, or video if necessary for communicating feedback. I'm an elementary teacher - 4th-5th - so keep that in mind if this info seems basic and fundamental to those of you who are working with college level students. I'm reading all this information through the lens of one who will need to adapt for the age of my learners.
In regard to being a "collaborative online instructor," I've learned it's important to balance so that this does not become overwhelming to the online instructor. Elements to consider include: building strong group interdependence, less than six per group, peer evaluation that is summative or formative or both, group peer evaluations. As a writing teacher with years of experience as a librarian who taught about the validity and credibility of sources in the research process, I especially like using this to ask students to pay attention to information sources and to suggest others in the process of group peer evaluation
