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<p><span>[</span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><strong>Note for Instructors:</strong> Review the page in its entirety, and update for your course. Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note and any other notes when finished.</span><span>]</span></p>
<h2><strong>Instructor Guide: Teaching This Course</strong></h2>
<p data-start="317" data-end="632">The <a class="inline_disabled" href="https://edl.asu.edu/design-standards/#instructor-guide" target="_blank">Instructor Guide</a> provides critical guidance for any instructor teaching this course—whether for the first time or as a returning facilitator. In the events of illnesses, emergencies, onboarding and training, and reassignment, instructor guides support instructor handoffs and collaboration.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Course Structure</h3>
<h4><strong style="font-family: inherit;">Modules</strong></h4>
<p>We use the term "modules" instead of "weeks" to be consistent with Canvas nomenclature. Modules also provide flexibility for variables such as the number of topics a course covers, the amount of time required to cover each topic, and session start and end dates.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All course materials are organized in modules so students access them in a purposeful order. For example, students are guided to read and watch learning content before navigating to the associated assignments.</p>
<p>This course is divided into seven (7) modules because ASU Online courses are typically about seven (7) weeks, but you may add or remove modules according to your desired course structure or topical sequence needs. Your modules may cover more or less than a week.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you need to condense the course into six (6) weeks, consider combining content topically and balancing student workload.</p>
<p>[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">: If there are special notes about the course structure, add them here</span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">. You may organize the information into a bulleted or ordered list if you wish. You are encouraged to be descriptive and detailed enough that someone who has <strong>never</strong> seen this course before will know how the course structure corresponds to the course schedule. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span></span>]</p>
<h3>Design Choices</h3>
<h4><strong>Assessment</strong></h4>
<p>Understanding how an assessment is designed allows other instructors to give effective guidance and meaningful, timely<strong> </strong>feedback. Sharing this helps other instructors replicate successful approaches instead of reinventing the wheel or missing important steps. Assessment design is not just grades—it is a reflection of what the course <strong>values</strong>, how learning is <strong>measured</strong>, and how students are <strong>guided</strong> toward success. Communicating assessment design promotes <strong>clarity</strong>, <strong>consistency</strong>, and <strong>continuous</strong> <strong>improvement</strong> across instructors and course sections and helps uphold academic integrity and fairness.</p>
<p>[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">:</span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"> Explain the assessment design here. You may organize the information into a bulleted or ordered list if you wish. You are encouraged to be descriptive and detailed enough that someone who has <strong>never</strong> seen this course before will understand what assessment design choices were made and why. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span></span>]</p>
<h4><strong>Course Sequence</strong></h4>
<p>A well-documented sequence shows how topics build upon one another. It helps instructors understand why specific content appears where it does, so they do not unintentionally disrupt scaffolding by moving or removing items. It reveals the <strong>pedagogical logic</strong>, such as introducing concepts before applying them in labs or projects.</p>
<p>[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor:</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"> Explain the course sequence here. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You may organize the information into a bulleted or ordered list if you wish. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You are encouraged to be descriptive and detailed enough that someone who has <strong>never</strong> seen this course before will understand what course sequence design choices were made and why.</span></span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">&nbsp;<span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span></span></span>]</p>
<h3>Course Setup</h3>
<p>Sharing how a course is set up online is essential for maintaining <strong>quality</strong>, <strong>consistency</strong>, and a <strong>positive student experience</strong>. This guidance enables other instructors to replicate effective practices, avoid common pitfalls, and provide a seamless learning experience for students. In short, providing online course setup is not just a technical task, but an act of <strong>instructional stewardship</strong> that contributes to student success and strengthens the overall learning environment.</p>
<h4><strong>General</strong></h4>
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<li>[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">: List specific setup needs here. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You are encouraged to use a bulleted or ordered list. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You are encouraged to be descriptive and detailed enough that someone who has <strong>never</strong> seen this course before will understand general course setup needs and how to complete them and/or where to find support information. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span><span>]</span></li>
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<h4><strong>Specialized Tools</strong></h4>
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<li>[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">: </span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">List specific tool setup needs here. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You are encouraged to use a bulleted or ordered list. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You are encouraged to be detailed enough that someone who has <strong>never</strong> seen this course before will understand specialized tool setup needs and how to complete them and/<span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">or where to find support information</span></span></span></span></span></span>. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span><span>]</span></li>
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<h3>Facilitation Tips</h3>
<h4><strong>Studying</strong></h4>
<p>Many students enter online courses without fully developed study strategies suited for independent or collaborative digital learning. Unlike traditional classroom environments, online courses often require greater self-discipline, time management, and active engagement with course materials. Instructors play a <strong>crucial role</strong> in helping students bridge that gap. By explicitly building studying tips and practice assessments and teaching or modeling effective study habits, instructors <strong>empower</strong> students to take ownership of their learning. These skills not only improve performance in the current course but also contribute to long-term academic success.</p>
<p>[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">: Provide guidance <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">here </span>regarding how the course was designed to promote tailored study support and how to teach or model study habits. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You may organize the information into a bulleted or ordered list if you wish. Y<span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">ou are encouraged to be descriptive and detailed enough that someone who has <strong>never</strong> seen this course before will be able to effectively guide and empower students.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span></span>]</p>
<h4><strong>Feedback</strong></h4>
<p data-start="264" data-end="557">Providing timely feedback is one of the <strong>most effective</strong> ways instructors can stay connected with students, support learning, and foster a sense of belonging. Feedback—whether on assignments, discussion posts, or quizzes—helps students understand what they are doing well, where they need to improve, and how to move forward. It <strong>reinforces learning objectives</strong> and <strong>provides</strong> <strong>clarity</strong> on expectations.</p>
<p data-start="924" data-end="1210">Asynchronous feedback or automatic feedback that is built into the course allows students to engage with comments at their own pace, reflect more deeply, and revisit guidance as needed. When feedback is <strong>specific</strong> and <strong>encouraging</strong>, it builds trust, motivation, and confidence, especially for students who may be struggling silently.</p>
<p>[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">: Provide guidance <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">here </span>regarding how feedback is provided in this course. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You may organize the information into a bulleted or ordered list if you wish. Y<span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">ou are encouraged to be descriptive and detailed enough that someone who has <strong>never</strong> seen this course before will understand what feedback is already available to students and what feedback should be supplied directly by the course team.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span></span>]</p>
<h4><strong>Managing Student Discussions and Other Means of Communication&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<p data-start="173" data-end="467">Timely instructor responses in discussion boards, emails, and other communication channels are <strong>critical</strong> for supporting student success in online courses. In the absence of face-to-face interaction, quick, consistent communication builds trust, reduces confusion, and keeps students engaged. When instructors respond promptly, they model <strong>active participation</strong> and signal to students that their questions, ideas, and concerns matter. This is especially important in asynchronous environments, where students may feel isolated or unsure if they are on the right track. Delays in responses can lead to missed learning opportunities, increased frustration, and loss of momentum.</p>
<p data-start="173" data-end="467">[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">: Provide ideas <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">here </span>regarding how you manage student discussions and other means of communication.<span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">&nbsp;</span></span></span></span>Share how you proactively address needs and how you have implemented strategies to do it at-scale. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You may organize the information into a bulleted or ordered list if you wish. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span></span>]</p>
<h3>Frequently Asked or Common Student Questions</h3>
<p data-start="174" data-end="466">Sharing frequently asked questions (FAQs) from students helps build a stronger, more consistent learning experience across instructors teaching the same course. These questions often highlight recurring points of confusion, unclear instructions, or areas where students need more support. By <strong>passing this insight along</strong>, instructors help their colleagues anticipate common challenges, improve communication, and refine how content or instructions are presented. It also reduces duplicate efforts, so future instructors will not need to troubleshoot the same issues repeatedly, and can instead proactively address student concerns through announcements, clarifications, or resource updates.</p>
<p data-start="174" data-end="466">[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">: Provide a list of common student questions <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">here, </span></span>and describe how you would/how you have answered them. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">You may organize the information into a bulleted or ordered lists if you wish. </span></span></span></span></span></span>For future course sessions, review the questions and update the course as needed. If appropriate, consider posting a resource with these FAQs in the course for students to read (if applicable, you can also have an ungraded—but required—quiz on the FAQs to draw attention to key information that students often miss). <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span></span>]</p>
<h3>Other</h3>
<p>[<strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Instructor</span></strong><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">:</span><span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"> Share anything else that would be helpful for teaching this course here. <span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;">Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span></span>]</p>
<h3>Post-Course Session Reflection</h3>
<p>[<span style="background-color: #fbeeb8;"><strong>Instructor</strong>: Share anything else that would be helpful for teaching this course again or for someone else to teach the course. Consider potential learner engagement opportunities and course improvements or enhancements (e.g., in-video questions, knowledge check questions, graded or practice quizzes, feedback, assignments, projects, exams, etc.) that can help to close gaps or address trends that you noticed during the session. Remove all highlighting and square brackets. Delete this note when finished.</span>]</p>
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