Assignments and assessments need to be relevant to the learning objectives/outcomes to help students become more enthusiastic about doing them successfully. Encourage students to work together (in groups or in response to others), but be cognizant of the situations of the course's student population. Do they work shifts around the clock? Do they live in reasonable proximity to each other, or are they spread around the state(s) or world? Are the technological requirements of the institution sufficient to accommodate your materials, etc.
