teaching onlineintroductory activities

how do I get my course off to a great start?

The first week of class is critical to creating a safe and welcome learning environment for your students. Here are some best practices that we recommend to ensure that you create your presence in the course, communicate your involvement in their learning process, and connect with your students.

Welcome Message

Before the course starts, you will want to learn how to use the Banner Self-Service email tool to send out a Welcome message that will set the tone and stage for the entire course. This is your first opportunity to make students aware of your presence. It communicates that you are not just a course supervisor, but that you will be actively engaged in their learning process. By sending the message out through the Banner system, you can provide students with instructions on how to set up their Canvas notification preferences, access the course, contact the instructor (you), buy their textbooks, contact disability resources, connect with you using Zoom, and get technical support. You might consider sending this message out a few times for those students who add the course late.

Three ingredients to include in your welcome message

Encouragement - think about what's going on in your students' lives and provide them with the encouragement they might need to be successful in your course.
Define the relationship - let the students know about your role in the class by explaining to them how you will participate, and how you plan to engage in their learning process
Expectations - let your students know how frequently you will be available, your assignment feedback time, and when you might be away during the semester

Engage with Students in Introductory Discussions

One of the best ways to let your students know that you care is to engage in the student introduction discussion. This is the only discussion where I recommend that you reply to EVERY student by sharing something about yourself or connecting with your student on shared interests.

Additional IDeas for First Week Activities

Create a welcome message or video

Create Q&A and social forums

Create an orientation video

Prepare for online coursework: student guide