Telling students where to start
Your students will have varying levels of comfort and self-sufficiency. Consider how your online presence will help guide and support your students. When they first log in to WebCT, will they know what your objectives are, and what kind of information they should look for online and what they should ask you about? You spend time in the face to face classroom introducing them to yourself, each other and the course content and assignments. Some time spent showing them the online environment will likely reduce repeat questions, and show them the resources you’ve compiled to help their learning.
I found a posting the other day that provides some excellent ideas on giving students an effective introduction to your online course container. In particular, I like the one that suggests giving the students a low-stakes quiz on the syllabus or other course information. It will give them more reason to read it, reinforce your points, and also give them an introduction to the quiz tool. If you use the quiz or self-test tool later in the semester, this familiarity will provide them with some extra confidence.