After reading this chapter I realized that there is something to be said about some of this information. I found the section about instructors surveying the students prior to the course about their prior knowledge and background of DL to be interesting. If instructors are to have their courses ready on day 1 then wouldn't the responses of these surveys theoretically change the entire makeup of an instructor's course? I mean, if the instructor went on the pretense that all the students had some type of prior knowledge to the necessary technology, software, etc. and come to find that they actually are amateurs. This could, in my opinion, cause issues with the design of the course. I will also add, though, that students who are taking online courses are usually (in this day in age) pretty tech-savvy (at least for the basics) and require little assistance and are quick to learn the ins and outs of how to navigate the online tools.
Students take DL courses for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons, however, does not include technical troubleshooting. Unfortunately, issues with technology tends to arise often, but knowing how to report issues correctly is part of providing safety to DL students. Students need to feel safe and successful in all classes - whether F2F or at a distance. Having a FAQ forum or several location for students to find answers to their queries helps diminish any sense of fear or reluctance in their DL course.
While it seems the instructor hold on to many responsibilities, many responsibility lies within the student learner as well. It is not enough to get by with "I didn't know" anymore. Not when the instructor make is known in various location where to search for answers to basic issues. When students sign up for DL courses, surely they know to expect a certain amount of knowledge when it comes to certain types of technology. While I consider myself to be pretty in-the-know where technology is concerned, I am new to the Canvas style of learning. While taking online coursework through ODU, I've mostly used Blackboard. One class I actually accessed through Google Classroom, and not this course is offered through Canvas. I enjoy learning through different modes as it helps me create lists of pros and cons for when I (if I) eventually get the opportunity to teach a DL course.