What I've Learned About Distance Learning Through Taking Online Classes

Do's:

• Be specific about requirements, instructions, assignments, etc.
• Have due dates in one spot and be clear about them.
• Remind students about assignments that are due.
• Resend Zoom links the day of the meeting.
• Have a bell ringer question ready.
• Include a To-Do list for the week.
• Embed questions throughout the Zoom meeting.
• Give feedback on assignments.
• Give time for questions.
• Start on time and end on time. Ask students to put questions in the chatbox that you will address in a Google Doc FAQ.
• Keep all resources in one place.
• Include opportunities for reflection. This will help the information solidify as well as allow for accountability.
• Have a backup plan.
• Have "rules" for discussion. (Mute, we will be recorded, etc.)
• If you are going to require students to do something such as a Zoom chat outside of the regularly scheduled time, let them know with plenty of time in advance. (Ok, doing any live instruction outside of the regularly scheduled time should be a don't, but if it's unavoidable, such as a guest speaker, let students know, record it, and give them an alternative such as a reflection question if they can't make it.)

Don'ts:

• Don't assume that students can reference an email from two weeks ago.
• Don't give students an assignment due a certain day (because you're going to discuss it in class) and then decide not to do the discussion and give extra time to do the assignment. You are going to lose the trust of students who did the assignment and are ready to discuss.
• Don't talk without having a slide in the background. I tended to zone out if I was just looking at someone's face without other visual stimuli.
• Don't turn off the chat. Many students are not willing to speak out loud and prefer to use the chat. Students can also answer each others' questions in the chatbox.
• Don't plan every minute. Leave extra time for technical difficulties or additional discussion. 
• Don't use too many platforms, apps, programs, etc. Stick to what works well to avoid confusion.
• Don't overload your students. One reading and assignment a week is perfectly acceptable, as long as it provides plenty of opportunity for discussion in between. You can really get into a great deal of detail doing it this way, and it isn't too much to keep track of. Students have other classes to deal with too