Herbert Brown III

Angie,

Deadlines and schedules are very important in online classes. Otherwise as you note, students will likely procrastinate until the end of the term and then not have sufficient time to complete their work. I would recommend clear deadlines and schedules for all online work. That doesn't mean you can't be flexible when "issues" arise, but it make online course facilitation easier.

Herbert Brown III

Angie Sokol

Herbert,
I have implemented a specific due date for the initial post, and then a different due date for responses. Students must post on 3 different days (for example). That keeps them coming back to respond to others. It also prevents everyone from posting on the last day so no one can make their participation points.
Angie