Once the course has been designed and built and students are enrolled, what are the next steps? What is different about teaching online? And how can instructors connect with students?

These questions are answered and strategies for teaching online are explored in the Online Teaching Courses Quick-Start topics. Research-based best practices and resources are presented throughout these topics:

• Supporting eLearners — how students learn, how to support students, and what to include in a syllabus and course welcome letter.
• Communication and participation— different methods for communicating, how to increase participation, and ideas for managing groups.
• Online discussions — tips for success and different ways discussions can be structured, including as debates, role-plays, or threaded group or class conversations.
• Course management strategies — time management tips and advice on how to set expectations, and write effective course and student policies.

Each of these brief topics provides an overview along with practical strategies and useful resources. If you need more information and want to explore further, links to recommended Deep-Dive Topics are also provided at the end of each topic.