In the first week of your online class, provide students with opportunities to familiarize themselves with each other and with you.   A common way to do this is with one or more 'Getting To Know You' activities that can be posted as discussion board or forum topics. 

This section includes sample introduction activities which you may adapt for your own course.

1. What Kind of Animal?

   This activity provides an informal way for participants to learn about each other and begin working together.

   Source: Dave Searcey, Instructional Designer, Air Education and Training Command, USAF.

2. Things

   This activity introduces students' interests and background to classmates in an innovative way.  

   Author: J. Ana Donaldson, Ed.D., University of Northern Iowa
   Source: Engaging the Online Learner, Rita‐Marie Conrad, J. Ana Donaldson, 2004

3. Innovative Getting To Know You Activities

   Gilly Salmon presents a great list of ice breakers and getting-to-know-you activities for online groups. 
   Source: E‐tivities: The key to active Online Learning. Gilly Salmon. Routledge Falmer 2002.

4. Ten Online Icebreakers
   Joitske Hulsebosch's Blog, Lasagna and Chips has an interesting list of online icebreakers. Comments by readers include more ideas.


5. Using Online Icebreakers to Promote Student/Teacher Interaction In addition to activities, this University of South Alabama resource has a rationale for encouraging interaction among online learners.


6. In-person icebreakers
   For those of you teaching a hybrid course, with some face-to-face time with students, here are some icebreakers for you from Teaching Today by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill .