Abstract: This best practices session focuses on the role of professional dispositions within online courses with a focus on professional teacher preparation as an example Ideas can be replicated and incorporated broadly across other professional preparation online courses Dispositions include the roles and behaviors expected as one becomes part of a particular profession (Johnston, Almerico, Henriott, & Shapiro, 2011) However, dispositions can be different in online courses as opposed to face-to-face Online learning can foster distance, eg as identified by Moore’s (1997) framework of the transactional distance that takes place in online courses A proactive focus that seeks to prevent distance from interfering with learning and in promoting course civility is therefore needed This paper provides concrete ideas for fostering professional dispositions and better social cohesion among students in e-learning contexts