Managing Your Online Course

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Last revised on 5/30/2025 by KK

Overview

The Course Facilitation Plan (CFP) outlines the key steps to take before, during, and after your course implementation, presented in the recurring course life-cycle, as well as recognizing the four roles of an online instructor. Download a copy of the file to create your own customized version.

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Effective Communication in Online Courses

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Last revised on 02/18/2024 by bjg

Overview

Two retro robots talking with tin can phones.

Asynchronous communication in online courses takes place via a variety of tools, such as announcements, rubrics, email, discussions, audio feedback, video feedback, etc. The learning benefits of regular communication with students in an online course are often overlooked by faculty. Effective and regular messaging is essential for an inclusive, motivated and engaged learning community. This post reviews guidelines for communicating with your students online.

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Specifications Grading: A Method to Improve Student Performance

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Last revised: 02/07/2025 by JP

Overview

Are you looking to increase student motivation and the quality of their academic work? If yes, consider specifications grading.  According to Linda B. Nilson, Ph.D., the traditional higher education grading method is broken and specifications grading offers a solution with benefits for both students and faculty. Nilson published her seminal work, Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students and Saving Faculty Time, in 2015.  Since then, faculty have adopted her method, including some at UConn.

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An Overview of VoiceThread

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Last Revised 12/31/24 by SW

Overview

VoiceThread is an interactive, multimedia discussion tool that enables dynamic conversations around multimedia content including images, videos, documents, and presentations. It allows users (instructors & students) to create, share, and comment on content using a variety of formats, including text, audio, and video. Online instructors can leverage VoiceThread to create asynchronous discussions, deliver interactive lectures, or facilitate group projects. Its flexibility supports diverse learning styles and encourages participation, making it an ideal tool for building community in online courses. VoiceThread integrates seamlessly with HuskyCT, ensuring a smooth experience for both instructors and students.

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Authentication of Students in Online Courses

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Last Revised 02/04/2025 by DTM

Overview

The purpose of this article is to guide the University community as faculty seek methods of verifying student identity in distance learning and online courses.  These guidelines were designed to meet NECHE accreditation standard 4.48 and Federal requirements under Sec.  602.17(g)of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Additionally, these guidelines are designed to meet Department of Homeland Security requirements for International Students in online and remote learning environments.
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Promoting Student Engagement in Your Online/DL Course

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Last revised 1/21/2025 by SW

Overview

Student engagement is essential to effective teaching, but it can feel more elusive in online and distance learning (DL) environments. Instructors often wonder how to foster interaction, ensure students engage with course materials and build a vibrant learning community. This article provides practical, actionable strategies for increasing student engagement in online courses.

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An Overview of Perusall

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Last revised: 12/6/2023 by TJS

Overview

Perusall is a free “social annotation” tool that helps students engage with course material in class groups. When integrated with HuskyCT, instructors can create reading or viewing assignments in which students create & share their own annotations and respond to each other’s comments & questions. Perusall informs instructors of the concepts that generate the most student questions & discussion, and Perusall can assist instructors score assignments quickly and efficiently. Perusall also reminds students of incomplete assignments, prompting higher rates of completion and preparedness.

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Syllabus Templates

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Last revised on 8/12/2024 by cah

Overview

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) offers syllabus templates that meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for online documents and is available for download. This post describes how to access the templates, along with some tips on ensuring the document remains accessible.

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