Teaching Remotely - Technology and Tools
Continuity of Instruction
Remote teaching and learning enables both faculty and students to continue coursework when the unforeseen happens, such as faculty/student illnesses or extreme weather events. In those cases, instructors can employ instructional technologies that will allow you to continue teaching and allow students to continue learning when being in the classroom is not possible.
There are three main tools that we believe you will find most helpful in continuity of instruction.
- Blackboard - offers a secure, online teaching and learning space.
- Mediasite - allows you to create lectures and demonstrations for students to watch on their own time.
- Zoom - allows you to meet online with your whole class or an individual student.
Below are some common tasks you might need to do to maintain continuity of instruction. Our goal is to provide you with the minimum amount of information you need to know to continue teaching and students continue learning when it’s not possible for you and/or students to be in the classroom. Printable Quick Learning Reference Guide
Issues to Address:
- Establish a mode of communication to use in case of an emergency.
- Ensure students all have access to and are aware of your communication method.
Recommended Tool:
Issues to Address:
- Research options for holding class/office hours virtually. You can fall back on your chosen option if it is expected that several class periods will be missed.
Recommended Tool:
Issues to Address:
- Think about how you would continue class discussion in the event of a disruption.
Recommended Tools:
Issues to Address:
- Decide how you will distribute documents and readings during a disruption.
Recommended Tool:
Issues to Address:
- Designate a centralized place to collect student submissions.
- Have students take quizzes and exams on Blackboard instead of paper/pencil.
Recommended Tool:
Issues to Address:
- Decide how to organize these in an online environment
Recommended Tool:
Before you consider proctoring remotely, please consider three factors that might make this option tough to put into practice.
- First, will all of your students have access to a reliable webcam?
- Second, will all of your students have access to reliable high-speed internet?
- Third, do your students have access to appropriate technology to run these programs? For example, the Lockdown Browser only works with MAC or Windows Operating Systems. This means that if your students are using a Chromebook or other device, they may not be able to use this tool.
If all of your students cannot meet one or more of these requirements, we recommend that you not require Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor.
Unless absolutely necessary, CITL recommends that you promote academic integrity rather than trying to stop cheating. Under the present pressures students face, it might be best to present students with a strong argument for the benefits of maintaining their integrity, while developing minimally cheat-proof assignments.
For more information on Remote Proctoring, please visit the Remote Proctoring - Lockdown Browser and Monitor webpage.
Blackboard
All Spring 2020 courses now have Blackboard course sites and students have been added to those classes.
Below are some common tasks you might need to do in Bb to maintain continuity of instruction. This is not an exhaustive list of tasks or videos provided by ITS and/or CITL. Our goal is to provide you with the minimum amount of information you need to know to continue teaching and students continue learning when it’s not possible for you and/or students to be in the classroom.
- Create an Announcement video
- Creating an Assignment submission area (a place for students to turn in work). While you might not use all of the options mentioned in the video, use what you feel is appropriate for you and your students.
- Creating Tests and Deploying Tests
- Grading Assignments
- Grading Short Answers and Essays
- Student Preview Mode
- For more video tutorials visit the ITS Training Blackboard Video Tutorials.
Mediasite
Allows you to create lectures and demonstrations for students to watch on their own
time.
Zoom
Allows you to meet online with your whole class or an individual student.
Some of the links on this page may require additional software to view.