Similarly, rubrics can assist in grading writing assignments. If your course includes writing assignments, you should create rubrics for those assignments as well.

Additionally, new online instructors are often surprised by the volume of discussion forum posts, and the time it takes to respond and facilitate the discussion (Shi, Bonk, Magjuka, 2014). Many faculty struggle with these questions, "How many posts do I respond to? Do I have to respond to every student?" The answer varies from professor to professor and from institution to institution. However, it is important to think about the level of interaction and how you plan to stay engaged with the students. The professor who never responds to any discussion posts seems missing in action and sets a poor example for their students. On the other hand, the over-eager instructor who responds to each and every student in every forum may be setting themselves up for an unsustainable workload. My advice is to find a happy medium that works with your teaching style and shows a steady level of engagement throughout the discussion timeframe. Many find that a good balance is to have 10-15% of the posts come from the instructor. You can save your posts in a program like Evernote and adapt them each term for the current conversation. This offers great time-savings and allows you to develop better posts over time.

Finally, set a pace for grading and responding to emails and discussion posts that is sustainable and realistic. Accept that you will have an extensive volume of text to respond to. Don’t let this volume take you by surprise. Instead, vow to work slowly, diligently, and thoughtfully, taking a cue from the author and conchologist Elizabeth Bailey.

“A last look at the stars and then to sleep. Lots to do at whatever pace I can go. I must remember the snail. Always remember the snail.” Elizabeth Bailey