Adapting Your Courses to Go Online
Overview
Aims: What students will be expected to learn in the course
These may be in your course outline as distinct learning objectives/outcomes or interspersed throughout the course description. These aims are the foundation of the course regardless of the format used (face-to-face or online). They help guide decisions about what to keep, what to adapt, and what can be considered “extra” at this point.
Tips:
- Revisit your course aims and keep them central as you make decisions about what to adapt.
- Communicate frequently with your Teaching Assistant(s) as you make these decisions so that they can answer student questions as well.
- Remind students of these aims as you communicate upcoming changes to your course.
Teaching and learning activities: What happens in the course to support students' learning
These activities comprise the bulk of the day-to-day experiences in your course. They include in-class activities such as lectures, group discussions, and tutorials as well as out-of-class activities such as course readings.
Tips:
- Look at the principles and practices outlined in Learning Module: Adaptable Course Design
- Seek support from a colleague with online experience
Assessments: How students demonstrate what they have learned and receive feedback on their learning
As you plan how to adapt assessment to move online, look at your course aims and ask yourself how students might demonstrate their learning of those aims. Feedback is essential to the learning process, so remember to include how you (and possibly your teaching assistants) will provide feedback to students.
Tip:
- Consider flexible deadlines and/or open book tests to accommodate students’ changing circumstances
- For more ideas, see Learning Module: Designing Student Assessments
Teaching and learning activities
What happens in the course to support students' learning
Remember to keep your course learning aims central when making decisions to transition your in-person activities to an online context.
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Online options
- Record a video presentation
- Host a live online class
- Annotate or narrate lecture notes/slides
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Software tools
- Yuja (post link to D2L Content)
- Zoom (send invite through D2L Announcements or email)
- PowerPoint (post to D2L Content)
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Online options
- Online discussion board
- Break large classes into smaller groups online for live discussions
- Have students use software for asynchronous group collaboration
- Have students submit video or digital sharing of group discussion
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Software tools
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Online options
- Live (synchronously)
- At any time (asynchronously)
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Software tools
- Zoom (voice questions, type questions into sidebar)
- D2L Discussions tool
- During a class/lecture
- During office hours
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Online options
- Live/online office hours
- At any time:
- Create FAQ list with answers
- Respond through email to individual or whole class
- Create a short video response
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Software tools
- Post on D2L Announcements or Content
- PeopleSoft
- D2L Communications
- Yuja
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Online options
- Presenters record and post video
- Presenters share live presentation
- Presenters respond to questions
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Software tools
- Yuja
- Zoom
- Zoom sidebar typed questions
- D2L Discussions tool
For example: labs, design activities, etc.
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Online options
- Provide raw data for virtual data analysis
- Post online simulations, collections or demonstrations for discussion, critique, analysis
- Provide external media files or links for virtual analysis
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Software tools
- Post in D2L Content
- D2L Discussion tools
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Online options
Post materials online
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Software tools
Assessments
How students demonstrate what they have learned and receive feedback on their learning There is a wide range of possible forms of student assessment and feedback. As you consider how to adapt assessment to move online, it is likely worth another look at your course aims and to ask yourself how students might demonstrate their learning of those aims. Feedback is essential to the learning process, so it is important to consider how you (and possibly your teaching assistants) will provide feedback to students. You may also want to consider adapting quizzes and tests to open book formats to limit the questions around academic integrity.
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Online options
- Online quiz
- Timed quizzes: distribute quiz via email/discussion board at a set time then require submission by a set time
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Software tools
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Online options
Have students upload documents for grading
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Software tools
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Online options
- Have students submit video or digital recordings of their performances, presentations, or projects
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Software tools
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Online options
- Consider alternative cumulative assessments (see a list of possibilities)
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Software tools
- D2L tools
- D2L Portfolio tool
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Online options
- Use rubrics
- Provide written feedback online
- Audio or video record your feedback to items submitted online
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Software tools
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Online options
- Maintain online gradebook
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Software tools