University of Central Florida

Teaching Online

Online Course Logistics

First Week of Classes

Provide Orientation

What can you do in advance to prepare your students for the optimal learning environment? Support is all about providing information when needed. At the beginning of the term, you can utilize a number of strategies to help the students get off to a good start.

Notifying Students

Sending an advance notification to students is a best practice. Advance notifications can:

  • Introduce yourself to the students
  • Advise students of class meetings
  • Advise students of skill prerequisites
  • Indicate the required textbook and materials
  • Convey e-mail and Web site addresses
  • Direct students to the Learning Online Web site

Many professors hold a face-to-face orientation for their online courses. These orientation sessions are most helpful, particularly if the students are first-timers to online learning. Some professors require attendance, however, it can not be required for fully online(W) courses.

  • Discussions (i.e., read, compose, and reply within the Discussion Topics) have students introduce themselves or talk about why they are taking your course.
  • E-mail (i.e., compose and send e-mail in either Webcourses@UCF Mail or eCommunity) have students send you an attachment with information about themselves.
  • Quiz (i.e., take a quiz in Webcourses@UCF) you might want to create a quiz on the information in your "syllabus" and protocols pages.

Monitor the "Technical Help" discussion topic (or similar topic)

If students are having difficulties, this is one place where they can post their questions for solutions. Encourage students to help each other with the questions posted. Answer what you can. Refer problems to Help resources (see Learning Online Support Services or the Techrangers).

Monitor "Student Tracking" (i.e., see who has not logged-in to your course)

Student tracking allows you to monitor what students are doing in your Webcourses@UCF account. Check to be sure students have accessed your course. If not, try contacting them by e-mail or phone.