The popularity and rise in online courses have somewhat taken the author by surprise. Starting as a college instructor three years ago, the author has witnessed the tremendous interest in online programming. In fact, it is the fastest growing enrollment at the kindergarten-12th grade and higher educational levels. At the university level, administrators are directing the design of online courses, faculty members are being drawn to develop these types of courses and students are strongly requesting these courses. However, even though there is this strong movement for online programming, it is relatively new and unfamiliar to most university administrators and faculty members. There is a pressing need to acquire hands-on, practical knowledge, skills and materials for these online courses. Consequently, university faculty is scrambling to find more information, materials and resources to fulfill these online programming interests and needs. This paper will present an overview, teaching/learning techniques, exemplary assignments and activities, and assessment tools for online courses. A literature review, along with best practices associated with online education, is incorporated in the following sections of this paper. The following is appended: Troubled Youth Case Study: An Example of an On-Line Assignment. (Contains 1 table.)