Require certain amounts of time to be spent in the online class. Online course instructors are able to see how much time a student spends logged into the course website. Requiring students to spend a set amount of time in the course each week forces students to engage themselves more in the online course content.
Make students participate in online discussion boards. Discussion boards within the online course allow students to communicate with each other, as well as the instructor. Instructors can create a general forum for student to ask questions, and also set up weekly discussion questions for students to respond to for a grade. According to All Academic Research, discussions are one form of active learning that has been linked to better outcomes for online courses.
Host online chats periodically. Online chats will allow the students and teacher to communicate. Topics that are unclear can be explained by the instructor. This interaction will engage students and promote more extensive thought of the material.
Administer quizzes and exams to ensure learning is taking place throughout the duration of the course. Quizzes can be administered for each chapter to ensure the student is learning the material. Tests and exams are less frequent, but cover more material, such as half of the course at one time.