Tasks to Complete Before Course Start
If this is the first course you've taught
online (in this environment), this is what you should do:
- Identify tech support available
- Take an online course as a student
- Familiarize yourself with the tools and support available
If this is the first time you've taught this course online:
- Pilot the course - with colleagues and potential students
- Prepare a "back up plan" for technology/server failure
If you are assembling (some of) the elements of an online
course that you or others are going to teach:
- Pilot the course - with colleagues and potential students, Back up the course content
- Prepare
or determine support mechanisms for students and instructors
- Ensure
workload and assignments are reasonable, but challenging
- Verify that copyright/IP concerns have been addressed
Things you have to do for every course even if none of the above apply:
- Prepare learners - send out welcome emails
- Test
links
- Test assumptions about student readiness and technology access (i.e.
are some students on 56k? if so, how will video work? or even complex
activities?)
- Plan a course initiation activity - phone conference, chat, in person...this activity should focus on connecting students with each other...and create a degree of comfort
Next - Conclusion
