The document discusses best practices for effectively leading and managing online courses. It identifies qualities of effective and ineffective online environments, such as having clear learning objectives, prompt feedback, and organization. It recommends using tools like discussion areas, web conferencing, and multimedia to interact with and engage students. Specific free technologies are also suggested that can be used to collaborate with students and track their progress, such as Mikogo, SurveyMonkey, and Evernote. The document emphasizes establishing timelines, using rubrics, and responding to students in order to implement these practices successfully.