Best Practices for Online Teaching

Stay in regular contact with your program manager for help with:

• Contracts and onboarding
• Textbook requests
• TA support
• Insurance requirements

They’ll also clarify your role in CE, including:

• Fit and interest for CE teaching
• Teaching experience (TA experience ≠ fully teaching experience)
• Additional support needs

Start Early

• Outline learning objectives, assessments, and key instructional materials.
• Align course content with desired learning outcomes.
• Use the course map as a foundation for structuring modules.

Stick to a Development Timeline

• Break down development tasks into phases.
• Set internal deadlines for syllabus drafts, content creation, and feedback cycles.
• Plan for revisions.

Leverage Your Expertise

• Collaborate with your ID to create a student-centered course.

University Resources & Policies

• Include CU Boulder’s Required Syllabus Statements.
• Use Canvas templates and ID resources for consistency.

Design for Student Success

• Include active learning and peer interaction.
• Design assessments that support learning and provide feedback.
• Add opportunities for reflection and metacognition.

Use Canvas Effectively

• Structure content clearly (Modules, Pages, Discussions).
• Provide a course tour screencast.
• Use in-video quizzes and analytics.

Build Instructor Presence & Facilitate Effectively

• Make Content Relevant: Connect course topics to students’ experiences, interests, and goals.
• Communicate Consistently: Share a plan for announcements, discussions, and feedback.
• Set Clear Expectations: Outline response times, office hours, and communication channels.
• Give Timely, Personalized Feedback: Use SpeedGrader, video or voice messages to support learning.
• Foster Interaction: Use discussions, groups, and check-ins to build community.
• Refine & Improve: Gather student feedback and make ongoing updates.
• Save & Reuse Materials: Build a library of helpful resources for future courses.
• Stay Current: Explore new tools and teaching strategies.
• Use Course Data: Monitor performance trends to improve course.

Homepage

• Create a welcoming landing page with a brief introduction.
• Include links to key course resources (Syllabus, Modules, Support).
• Display announcements prominently and provide contact information.

Announcements

• Post a welcome announcement with key details and deadlines.
• Use announcements to keep students informed and engaged.
• Allow student comments when appropriate to foster interaction.
• Guide students on how to enable notifications.
• Share relevant articles or videos when applicable. 

Discussions

• Set up an ungraded discussion forum for general questions.
• Ensure graded discussions are properly set up to assign points.
• Adjust the default setting to threaded discussions for better organization.
• Clearly label and pin important discussions.
• Use group discussions to facilitate smaller, more manageable interactions in large classes.

Assessments & Grading

• Provide an ungraded practice assignment and/or quiz for students to familiarize themselves with submission and quiz formats.
• Use SpeedGrader for efficient grading and detailed feedback.
• Restrict assignment submission types to prevent compatibility issues.
• Avoid publishing grades until all assignments are evaluated.
• Assign zeros (0) for missed assignments to ensure accurate grading.
• Double-check extra credit calculations.

• Alt Text: Add descriptions to images and charts so screen readers can describe them.
• Captions: Use captions for all videos. Check auto-generated captions for mistakes.
• Headings: Use built-in heading styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) instead of changing font size or color.
• Font Type and Size: Use sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri), which are easier to read on screens, and ensure a minimum 12-point size for accessibility.
• Lists: Use bulleted or numbered list tools in your editor for proper formatting.
• Color Contrast: Ensure high contrast for readability.
• Tables: Use tables only for data, not layout, and include headers.
• Meaningful Links: Write clear links (e.g., “Read the syllabus” instead of “Click here”).

For additional support on digital accessibility, refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), visit the Colorado Accessibility Resources page, or consult with your instructional designer.

Frequent Communication

• Communicate regularly with your instructional designer (ID).
• Use announcements and emails to keep students engaged.
• Follow the development timeline.
• Respond promptly to requests.

Prioritize Accessibility & Alignment 

• Ensure the course is accessible and materials are aligned with objectives.

Use LDG Resources

• Leverage templates, shared drives, and best practices.
• Refer to the LDG’s Checklist for Returning Instructors to ensure your course is ready in Canvas.

Pre-Course Preparation 

• Send a welcome email before the course begins.

Technical Support 

• Provide students with office hours and tech support options.

Publish & Verify

• Ensure all content, assignments, and quizzes are published and accessible.

Check for Broken Links 

• Update outdated links before the course begins.

Leverage Canvas Studio 

• Use it to create and store lecture videos, ensuring easy access. Organize file names for better navigation and efficiency.

Provide Step-by-Step Instructions 

• Guide students through unfamiliar tech tools.