1. Funnel student questions into the course site.
   When one student has a question, others will ask it later. Post the answer in appropriate places on the course site and email the answer to all of the students at once.

   When a student asks a question that is answered by the course site (or could be found on another Internet site), instead of retyping the answer, send them the link to the site with the answer. Over time, this teaches students to use course references to locate their own solutions.

2. Create discussion forums for student support; have students monitor them.
   Every course has students who have skill with technology or experience with the course content. Offer these students extra credit or another reward in exchange for helping their classmates.

   Student discussion forums can also be very useful as a place for students to blow off steam, confirm their understanding, and build relationships with others. If they communicate with each other, they will send less email to the instructor.

3. Group students together for assignments and support.
   Try the buddy system in online courses. Assign partners at the start and then require students to ask their partner for help before coming to the instructor. Many students are more comfortable asking questions of other students anyway. In checking with a partner, they may get the answer, but at minimum will confirm that their question needs to go to the instructor. Many students learn socially and need contact with others to enjoy a class and succeed. Small group assignments facilitate this. Group projects actually work better online because the instruc-tor can monitor (through email carbon copies or discussion forum viewing) group interaction. This enables them to confirm that workload is distributed fairly. An important side benefit is that groups of students produce fewer assignments to grade than individuals working alone.

4. Be very specific about assignment specifications.
   Failure to provide explicit directions for assignments results in confusion, requests for clarification, and work that has to be redone. These mistakes cost instructors large amounts of time.

   Include resources, step-by-step instructions, formatting specifications, and submission guidelines with every assignment. Advance information about grading also reduces questions.

5. Keep reasonable caps on enrollment.
   Most instructors report that it is difficult to handle more than twenty to twenty-five students in an online course. In the classroom, one student asks a question and the others hear the answer. In an online course, everyone must interact individually with the instructor.

   Help administrators understand this issue so that they can provide adequate support through enrollment caps. In your first semester online, consider even smaller enrollments.

6. Collect and advertise support resources.
   There are thousands of resources online that students can use for technical help, research and reference, background reading, or supplements for topics of special interest. People who are willing to help can be accessed by email.

   Collect lists of resources and save them. Send them to the class in email messages. Post them with assignments. Good resources serve as an instructor substitute, saving critical time.

7. Establish course patterns early, both for students and yourself.
   Create patterns in the course content, kinds of assignments given, deadlines for assignments, and course communication practices. Online students who find a rhythm know what to expect next, and as a result become more secure. This security, in turn, reduces the number of questions and facilitates faster progress.

   Create patterns for yourself as well. Read email at certain times of day. Provide a consistent style of response. Patterns of organization will help the course progress smoothly for everyone.

This article is reprinted from Creating a Virtual Learning Community, Fall 2000, Volume 2, Issue 1. Neil Hollands, editor. Raleigh: North Carolina Community College System.