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The course overview and introduction set the tone for the course, let learners know what to expect, and provide other guidance to help learners succeed from the outset.
Select an image or video below to see examples and gather ideas about how to meet specific review standards.
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Instructions make clear how to get started and where to find various course components.
At the most foundational level, before learners can proceed to tackling your course activities, they need a well-crafted launching point. Including a “Start Here” section that clearly communicates how to get started and how to navigate through your course ensures that learners get off to a good start.
Learners are introduced to the purpose and structure of the course.
An introduction to the course provides your students with information that will help them understand the purpose and structure of the course.
Communication expectations for online discussions, email, and other forms of interaction are clearly stated.
Etiquette expectations (sometimes called “netiquette”) for online discussions, email, and other forms of communication should be clearly stated. In the same way that it’s important for you to provide students with expectations regarding communication and classroom conduct, it’s equally important to give online learners cues and guidelines for interacting with you and their peers.
Course and institutional policies with which the learner is expected to comply are clearly stated within the course, or a link to current policies is provided.
Links to and information regarding course and/or institutional policies that your learners are expected to comply with in the course should be clearly stated in the Start Here section and/or syllabus.
Minimum technology requirements for the course are clearly stated, and information on how to obtain the technologies is provided.
Online learners need to be aware of the minimum software and hardware requirements needed to be successful in your course. These requirements should be explicitly stated in the Start Here area and/or course syllabus.
Computer skills and digital information literacy skills expected of the learner are clearly stated.
Online learners need to be aware of the technical and digital literacy skills needed to be successful in your course. Reflect on what digital literacy skills your students will need to possess or practice to be successful and explicitly state these in either the Start Here area or syllabus.
Expectations for prerequisite knowledge in the discipline and/or any required competencies are clearly stated.
Clarify any prerequisite knowledge or courses required for your course either in your syllabus or Start Here. If there are no prerequisite requirements, be sure to indicate that as well.
The self-introduction by the instructor is professional and is available online.
Include a self-introduction to help your students connect with you as an individual and set the tone for your course and online learning community.
Learners are asked to introduce themselves to the class.
To begin building the online learning community in your course, ask your students to introduce themselves to you and the class in an introduction activity.
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Developed by Academic Partnerships, Faculty eCommons (FeC) is a social learning ecosystem for faculty across the world to work together to improve online education. FeC contains resources specifically tailored to help online instructors and is maintained by the Academic Services and Products team at Academic Partnerships.