Coaching a sport is a useful analogy for classroom teachers coordinating an online curriculum project to maximise learning outcomes and encourage enthusiastic learning and a sense of fun.

Steps

1. Update your Travel Buddy site with everything your participants will need. Ensure you have:
   • a challenging and interesting Mission that is achievable in the given time,
   • strong curriculum links and rich Teacher Notes,
   • a Travel Buddy with a personality, and
   • time and enthusiasm to commit to the project to ensure success.
2. Ensure your participants have everything they need: logins, Internet access, timely and relevant information. Email is the best way to communicate however don't be frightened to phone or fax too. Anything that gets the message to the participants on time.
3. Have a shared understanding with your participants on what is approriate content (including spelling errors), images sizes and parental permissions on images.
4. Keep to your Travel Itinerary. Changes during the project effect the curriculum planning of your participants so be realistic in the timetable and the Missions you have set.
5. If something unpredictable happens (and it will), ensure all Partner Teachers know and understand the change that is made and what they need to do.
6. Check your emails and the site daily by:
   • Responding to participant's emails
   • Sending emails to participants to encourage, congratulate and inform them they are next in the itinerary
   • Checking content to ensure it is appropriate. You are in charge, so delete anything that is inappropriate and contact the Partner Teacher immediately. You can change spelling errors too- however you might like to discuss this with your participants first.
7. Include regular online chats and/or forums with participants to build their learning community and special guests or experts. They can provide valuable information to participants to help them achieve their Mission and extend their learnings.
8. Ensure your students are involved in the planning and coordination of the project.
9. Contact the Travel Buddy coordinator if you have any queries or need to discuss your ideas.