A month ago many of us were thinking about the possibilities and perils of online teaching and learning, but only in the hypothetical. Today, most of us are obliged to work this way and find it frightening to contemplate. There is wonderful research being done in online settings that attest to the social contagion virtual contexts offer, and the amazing results produced by teaching and learning when technology is leveraged correctly. 

As an online instructor at the Harvard University Extension School for the past five years, I have learned that excellent instructional design takes deliberate practice and time. To help you leap-frog some of the "aha!" moments some experience when transitioning into a virtual classroom, you're invited to listen to the podcast - Taking Your Class Online.