Teaching Tip: First-contact assignments can jump-start semester
August 19, 2016
Incorporating an assignment for online students to complete within a few days of the
beginning of the semester lets you know the student has accessed your course site,
has had the opportunity to view the course syllabus and is ready for the semester.
Make sure the assignment is low-stakes in that it can be completed quickly without
a lot of student preparation. One idea is asking students to post an introduction
to the discussion board following an example you provide.
Get more ideas.
— Teaching Tip by Heidi Olson, the learning design coordinator for UAF eLearning,
a Google for Education certified trainer and an adjunct instructor with more than 25
years of experience in higher education.