Ready to Go Remote

Last updated on November 21, 2024

Inclement weather or unforeseen events may shut down in-person activities on campus and create the need for remote learning, so it is important to always be prepared. Whether for just one day or a prolonged campus closure, you can use online tools to teach and learn remotely. In this tutorial, you will learn how to effectively communicate the shift to remote learning to your students, use Canvas’s basic features, set up virtual class sessions using Microsoft Teams, and update your Canvas course assignments and syllabus, if needed. 

Transitioning to short-term teaching and learning is as simple as following the ABCs:

Always communicate
Basics of moving online
Continue the learning

By following the simple steps provided, you can ensure that your classes continue without interruption and that your students stay informed, engaged, and continue their learning.

Let’s walk through it together

Step 1: Always Communicate

• As soon as you know your class will need to shift to remote learning, post an announcement within your Canvas course to notify students. 

• Be clear and specific when informing your students about assignment due dates and any changes that may occur due to the shift in moving online.

Below is a sample announcement that you may modify to fit your needs and post in your course:

Follow these directions to post an announcement to your course

1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
2. Click Canvas in the Teaching & Learning section.
3. Log in to your Canvas Account.
4. Select the Course you’d like to work in.
5. Click Announcements on the course navigation menu on the left.
6. Click the blue + Announcement button.
7. Enter a Title for your announcement in the Topic Title Box.
8. Enter Additional Information about your announcement in the second, larger box.
   • Note: You can also add links, images, videos, and other resources in this section. To learn more, visit the “Use the Rich Content Editor” tutorial.
9. Adjust the Options as desired.
10. Click Save.

Step 2: Basics of Moving Online

• If you’re unfamiliar with using the university’s learning management system, Canvas, you can find even more basic introductory material in our Quick Start Canvas Guide. It is best to familiarize yourself with the basics now so you’re prepared to pivot to remote teaching quickly.
• You can create assignments, upload files and PowerPoints, and create discussions in your Canvas course to keep your students engaged. 
• Each Canvas course integrates an Attendance (Roll Call) Tool. To use this application, you must enable it.
  • Note: When you take attendance using Attendance (Roll Call), Canvas automatically adds Attendance as an assignment. The default point value for attendance is 100 points.
• As best practice, set up a Microsoft Teams “Course Team” for your in-person course before the semester begins. This will make scheduling meetings less stressful when the need arises. However, as it only takes a few minutes, you can create a Microsoft Teams “Course Team” at any time during the semester as well.
• You can host live synchronous class sessions using the course team you created in Microsoft Teams.

To set up a Microsoft Teams “course Team” First you will need to Download and Install Microsoft Teams

Before setting up a recurring meeting, we recommend installing the app on your computer. Teams also has a browser version, but the app is more reliable for daily use. You can use our Download and Install MS Teams tutorial, which is linked below, for help with this.

Follow these directions to create a  Microsoft Teams “Course Team”

1. Open the Teams application on your computer.
2. Click on the Teams icon in the left-hand navigation bar in the Teams window.
3. Click Join or Create Team in the top right-hand corner.
4. Click Create Team in the top right-hand corner.
5. Click Class.
6. Click Use this Template in the bottom right-hand corner.
7. Enter a Name for your team.
   • This should identify the course, the section, and the semester; e.g. American National Government PSC1010-001 Fall 2022.
   • You can also enter a description below the Team Name, which is optional.
8. Click Create in the bottom right-hand corner.

From here you can add your students to your course team, or add students later by distributing a link.

Please see our tutorial called Create a Course Team, Add Students, and Set Up a Recurring Meeting for directions on how to add students, set up a recurring meeting, and how to share the links for the Team and the meeting in an announcement.

Step 3: Continue the Learning

Here are some ideas to boost your presence and interaction while students are learning remotely:

• Foster Student Engagement Through Discussions 
• Use the Rich Content Editor to Modify Text, Insert Links, Attach Files, and Connect Apps
• Create and Edit Quizzes 
• Create a Voiceover for your PowerPoint Presentations 

Step 4: Advanced Steps

Want to do more? The following resources let you explore more advanced techniques and options for moving your classroom into the virtual environment:

• Create a Course Team, Add Students, and Set Up a Recurring Meeting
• Sharing Files with Students
• Create an Assignment
• Use Microsoft Teams to Host Live Lecture Sessions
• Microsoft Teams Quick Start Guide
• Create a Discussion in Canvas
• Use the Attendance (Roll Call) Tool
• Drop-in Support

Step 5: Get Help

If you need any help with this process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Our CTLD instructional design support specialists are ready to help you Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., during our drop-in hours or via email and voicemail.