CTLD ReadyWhen creating or editing a course, having an unpublished location to test out various tools and settings without fear of altering or deleting content in a live course is beneficial. This location is known as a Sandbox as it is a “playground” for content creation. In addition, Sandboxes can also serve as a backup location […]
Creating content and readings for students is a fundamental way to provide information and context for your course. When teaching online, you should ensure the content you provide is engaging and complete for students to go through on their own. In Canvas, there are myriad tools you can use, and one of the most essential […]
Use Teams for Informal Quizzes In a synchronous online course, there may be times when you want to assess your students’ understanding without administering a graded quiz through Canvas. Maybe you are looking for a quick poll, a casual pop quiz or wish to check general comprehension. One way to do this during your synchronous […]
Building a full course from scratch can be quite an undertaking in terms of both time and effort. Converting Open Education Resources (OER), building pages, and writing quizzes and assignments are an investment in time and resources that may compete with other priorities (such as interacting with your students). This can be a lot to […]
Connect Virtually with Students Outside of Class Time Office hours are key resources for your students to seek additional help and instruction. In-person office hours are a time-tested system, and these benefits carry forward when you provide an equivalent virtual experience. For a small investment of time and effort to set up a virtual office […]
As an instructor preparing your course for a new term, you may find yourself balancing several different tasks at once. Even with existing course content from a previous term, you will still need to customize and make changes to content, due dates, and in some cases, technology, to keep your course relevant for a new […]
The end of the semester can be a time of both stress and relief. With looming deadlines followed by the satisfaction of another course reaching a successful end, there’s a lot to think about. While things can move fast, there are important steps to take to make sure you and your students end the course […]
Create documents that you and your students can annotate together Reading is often an essential pedagogical tool to engage, inform, and empower learning for students. The problem is often, how can you get your students to read more? The time has come to consider using social annotation to promote critical thinking, community, and create a […]
Guide student progression in your Canvas course A successful Canvas course typically involves a great deal of content for your students to navigate. Establishing the order in which you wish your students to progress through the course and then defining prerequisites, requirements and timeframes for that progression can help students understand your expectations and stay […]
Tools: MS Teams After spending much of the pandemic teaching with some mix of online/hybrid/face-to-face, you’ve likely noticed some marked differences between teaching online and teaching in person. There are benefits to each, but they are also different experiences with different challenges. You may have even felt as though online synchronous courses might be more […]