best practices

Self-Guided Course Design and Development

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February 5, 2026

 by 

Jennifer Parker

Overview

This post guides UConn faculty in designing, building, and teaching online and hybrid courses. Please see UConn Registrar’s Course Modalities for a complete explanation of each instructional approach.

The phases outlined are intended for faculty with a strong background in teaching and pedagogy who are already comfortable using HuskyCT.  To learn more about the skills and knowledge needed, see UConn Competencies for Online and Hybrid Instruction.

We encourage faculty who prefer a more guided support model to review the phases outlined in this site and then contact eCampus to work with one of our staff members.

Human symbol with arms extended to indicate universal design of learningThis icon indicates information related to accessibility and universal design of learning.

Symbol of half human brain and half electronic wire branches with letters AI indicating an Artificial Intelligence tip.This icon indicates information related to Artificial Intelligence use in course design.

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Key Takeaways from the CETL Online Student Preferences Survey

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April 24, 2025

 by 

Catherine Healy

Overview

In late 2022, eCampus launched a survey to determine student preferences as related to online courses. The survey went out to all students who completed an eCampus online course, which includes both undergraduate (68%) and graduate (32%) students. The survey was sent to 7300 students and 665 responded (9%).

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Meeting Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) Requirements

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February 5, 2025

 by 

Eileen Stuyniski

Overview

This article provides examples for meeting the federal requirement for online or distance learning courses to “support regular and substantive interaction (RSI) between the students and the instructor, synchronously or asynchronously” (Downs, 2021).

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Managing Your Online Course

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July 23, 2025

 by 

Kelsey Keefe

Overview

The Course Facilitation Plan (CFP) outlines the key steps to take before, during, and after your course implementation, presented in the recurring course life-cycle, as well as recognizing the four roles of an online instructor. Download a copy of the file to create your own customized version.

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Facilitating Online Discussions

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February 18, 2025

 by 

Betsy Guala

Overview

Online discussions are used to build dynamic learning communities, to synthesize key concepts, and to promote critical thinking skills. This article highlights tips for successfully facilitating online discussions.

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Best Practices and Expectations for Online Teaching at UConn

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July 16, 2025

 by 

Kelsey Keefe

Overview

Teaching in an online environment is different from teaching in a face-to-face classroom. This post covers some best practices and expectations for online teaching at UConn.

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