Clearly identify expectations for learner progress in the course.

Explain your expectations for learner engagement.

Indicate your plan for interacting online (i.e. email and phone response time, grade turnaround time, etc.)

Consistently connect with learners and address questions and concerns promptly.

Identify learners who may experience restricted access.

Provide links to additional academic and student support services and resources.

Encourage students to complete the UNC System Online Learning 101 Training

Align all instructional materials with the stated learning objectives

Explain the purpose of all lectures, readings, and multimedia

Clearly indicate how the instructional material will be used to complete the learning activities

Provide citations or permissions and verify usage rights

Record or host live lectures in a quiet environment

Limit lecture videos to 5 to 10 minutes segments

Supplement lectures with additional resources for further explanation

Record synchronous sessions for later viewing by students who are unable to join

Utilize case studies to present real-world applications

Sequence readings in a consistent format within the course shell

Incorporate resources that provide learners opportunities to review foundational skills and knowledge

Selectively incorporate OERs into your course to minimize learners' cognitive load

Align your discussions, collaborative activities, labs, and performance-based activities with the learning objectives

Provide clear, explicit instructions for interaction and tasks to be performed

Require students to submit their initial responses first and then respond to at least two of their peers

Avoid closed questions by including thought-provoking and discussion-igniting prompts

Diversify prompts with questions, videos to react to, images or graphs to analyze and discuss

Assign points to your discussion boards and provide a discussion rubric indicating success criteria

Limit each topic to one forum

Offer guidance and feedback throughout the process

Provide technology tutorials for your students

Encourage students to engage in chat-based and video-based conversations (for synchronous peer review)

Include resources and examples to help students better grasp the assigned tasks or projects

Scaffold online lectures, videos, and instructions

Segment your video-based lectures and demonstrations into small digestible parcels (5 to 10 minutes max.)

Develop or locate videos illustrating lab and performance-based demonstrations

Create submission areas in your course shell

Align your tests, quizzes, exams, projects, and assignments with the targeted learning outcomes

Provide clear, explicit instructions and use simple, clear language in your questions

Diversify question types and target higher-order thinking by including graphs, charts, tables, images, etc.

Include 4 to 5 options and plausible, believable "wrong answers" for multiple choice questions

Offer automated feedback

Allow multiple attempts

Use authentic, well-sequenced assessments

Break down bigger projects into smaller success experiences

Begin with a real problem and end with a real product

Include rubrics and success criteria in your instruction sheets

Provide continuous guidance and feedback

Share examples of excellent work and helpful resources

Simplify your course shell​ using modular structure​

Use built-in headings​ and bulleted/ordered lists

Use sans serif fonts (i.e. Calibri, Arial, Tahoma, etc.)

Utilize white space by not overwhelming pages and slides with text

Include alternative text for all visuals and tables

Use meaningful hyperlinks within text

Use distinct contrast for text and background colors and refrain from using color alone to convey information

Provide closed captioning and/or transcripts for all videos

Verify learners can control playback speed, closed captioning, and playback volume

Incorporate images, videos, and graphics responsibly to limit visual overstimulation

Perform website accessibility checks using the WebAIM Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool

Provide links to accessibility statements and services for any technology used in the course