Keep Teaching: Checklist for Temporary Remote Teaching

Keep Teaching Resources During Online Delivery

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Western classes are not meeting face-to-face. The guidelines below are designed to help you and your students continue academic work.

This resource is intended for anyone with a teaching role at Western. See also:

• Keep Learning - resource for students
• Keep Working - resource for employees
• Keep Connected - resource for internet access

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

WWU Offerings

ATUS, CIIA, OCE, and Western Libraries are offering frequent learning opportunities during Spring 2020. See schedule to the right. These are opportunities to interact with support staff, post your questions, and share or gather resources and strategies.

• Join self-enroll ATUS-CIIA Canvas course for detailed descriptions, access links, and recordings/support documents.

Monday Morning Mentor - Weekly 20-minute Videos

• Join self-enroll Monday Morning Mentor Canvas course to view weekly offerings and transcripts and slides for past offerings.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

1. Ensure you are prepared for teaching remotely during University closures.

   • Current status at WWU: Spring Quarter classes are being offered completely online.

2. Communicate intentions with students.

   • Alert students how you will be changing course delivery, how they can contact you, where to look for assignments, readings, and feedback, and how you will communicate with them.
   • Ask students to check their notification preferences.
   • Ask students if they have the appropriate technology to access your class.
     • Computer: Not all students will have regular access to a computer. Students and faculty who do not have access to a laptop may check one out for an extended loan period at the Student Tech Center (2nd Floor Haggard), ATUS Loan Pool (HH 114), and the SMATE Resource Center (SMATE 220).
     • Mobile Device: Considering many students will be using mobile devices, ensure your material is mobile-friendly via the Mobile App Design Course Evaluation Checklist.
     • Internet Connectivity: Students may be able to gain internet access on campus, in the dorms, at home, or a publicly available hotspot. Some internet service providers will be offering free and reduced internet for the next few months. See: https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19
   • Ask students if they have a situation that makes it difficult for them to participate at a distance or meet the class schedule.

3. Get prepared technologically.

   • CANVAS
     
     To be ready to use Canvas as your primary content delivery method, consider these suggestions:
     1. Announcements: Use Canvas announcements to communicate with students.
     2. Contact Information: Make sure to set your Canvas home page to have your contact information.
     3. Course Materials: Make sure all course materials are available in Canvas.
        • Clarify assignments, readings, and all instructions.
        • Ensure your material is mobile-friendly via the Mobile App Design Course Evaluation Checklist.
        • Be flexible and make accommodations for assignment due dates and moderating quizzes.
     4. Course Lectures: Record all lectures and make them available in Canvas. See Media section below.
     5. Assessments: Make sure quizzes and assignments are all in Canvas with electronic submission.
   • MEDIA
     
     Consider using audio or video to put lectures or instructions in Canvas. You are free to use whatever method you are comfortable with; however, Western has the following  options:
     • Screencast-O-Matic - This is a tool for capturing the contents of your screen and your audio/voice, as well as the webcam (optional) and publishing the recording to a variety of online services for online delivery. This tool is integrated with Canvas to easily embed videos. If you would like to record mini-lectures, announcements, explanations of assignments, assignment feedback, etc., set up your Screencast-O-Matic account and download the software for use on the computer you will be using. 
       • Screencast-O-Matic self-enroll tutorial in Canvas - activate your account, download the software, and browse the self-help tutorials
     • Media Recorder in Canvas - This tool is available in Canvas within rich content editors, instructor comments, and SpeedGrader, and allows instructors to record audio or video directly in Canvas or to upload audio or video files created elsewhere. Due to space considerations, Media Recorder is not suitable for recording entire lectures.
       • Learn how to use Media Recorder.
     • ATUS Video Services/Digital Media Center: If you are interested in recording in the DMC, in classrooms, or with a Lightboard, feel free to contact Video.Services@wwu.edu or DMC@wwu.edu.
     • Media Delivery - We recommend using one of the following for hosting your recordings because they automatically adjust for the end user's bandwidth, insuring decent playback.
       • WWU YouTube/G Suite - Your WWU G Suite account includes YouTube.
       • Screencast-O-Matic - You can activate your account, download the software, and host media for sharing in Canvas. See above.
       • GoogleDrive & OneDrive - These online cloud storage tools allow for sharing files via a link that can be placed in Canvas.
   • WEB CONFERENCING
     
     If synchronous online time can be arranged with students, consider using one of the web conferencing tools we have available. 
     • Zoom - This is a web conferencing tool that includes a white board, annotation tools, chat, and the ability to share slides or other applications running on your computer. Sessions can be recorded and preserved. If you would like to conduct “live” synchronous activities with students:
       • Determine if the free version of Zoom is sufficient. Anyone can use the free version to host web conferences shorter than 40 minutes.
       • To host a Zoom session longer than 40 minutes, obtain a license for Zoom Pro from ATUS. A limited number of Pro licenses are available free of charge to the Western Washington University faculty. For staff, we recommend using Microsoft Teams.  
         • Learn how to use Zoom.
         • Request Zoom Pro: software.services@wwu.edu
         • Learn how to save your recording.
     • G Suite / Google Hangouts Meet - This is an easy and powerful video meeting tool for people to collaborate using a computer or mobile phone. It includes the ability to have up to 250 participants via WWU email address, share your screen or individual applications, chat, and record meetings and save them to Google Drive.
       • Learn more about Google G Suite Meet.
     • Teams Meetings & Conferencing - While Teams includes the ability to host online meetings, including a white board, chat, application sharing, audio, and video, it requires a few steps to create a team and add students.  Learn more about meetings and conferencing in Microsoft Teams. Recordings are not available in Teams.
   • COLLABORATION
     
     Consider using tools available through WWU for collaborative activities and sharing files:
     • Office 365 
       • Online Suite of Office Tools - Faculty, staff, and students may acquire the latest versions of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac OS.
       • Teams - This tool is most useful to conduct online meetings or for simple daily communications with other WWU employees. It is not ideal for instructor and student communications.
       • SharePoint - This tool is useful for long-term document storage and sharing documents with other WWU employees. 
       • OneDrive - This is very similar to GoogleDrive for easy sharing of documents. 
     • G Suite - G Suite accounts are optional tools offered in addition to Office 365, enabling access to Google Drive, Docs, Slides, YouTube, and other applications.
     • Socrative Student Response System
       
       This free tool allows you to post an open poll or quiz, which can remain open as long as you wish. The free educational version is limited to 50 respondents. Upgrade to Socrative Pro to use with up to 150 respondents and to track user performance with rosters.
     • TeamViewer - This tool is very useful for remote technical support and trouble-shooting.
   • CLOUD vs. VPN:  We recommend that you share teaching-related materials via the cloud (Canvas, OneDrive, G Suite, etc.). Some campus servers and resources require a VPN connection if you want to access them from off-campus. View a list of services that require VPN from off-campus. Also, View our VPN Instructions.
     
     Mapped network drives are the most common example. You do not need to use VPN to access Canvas, your Western email, OneDrive, or other Office 365 apps. 
     • OneDrive - As part of Office 365, OneDrive is easy to access and offers 1TB of storage space.
     • Canvas - If you upload files to Canvas, you can control if and when students can see them. There is a 500 MB per file limit and 2000 MB per course limit. The course limit can be expanded by requesting it via CanvasHelp@wwu.edu. 
     • G Suite - If you opt for Google Drive, be sure to use your WWU Google account which gives you a large storage space and helps keep WWU files separate from personal files.
   • MEDIA EQUIPMENT: If you need a webcam, headset, laptop, or other equipment, check with ATUS Classroom Services/Equipment Loan or ATUS Teaching, Learning, and Technology/CIIA for options. Contact these offices to ensure availability. Most laptops are already configured with devices for audio/video recording.

4. Get prepared strategically.

   • For strategies for delivering your content online, see: Teaching Handbook: Blended/Online Learning. See also:
     • "So You Want to Temporarily Teach Online" - Inside Higher Ed
     • "Going Online in a Hurry" - The Chronicle
   • For strategies for communicating with students in an online setting, see: The 7 Cs of Effective Communication in an Online Course.
   • For helping students be prepared, see: Keep Learning: Checklist for Participating in Classes Online
   • For the latest information at WWU about coronavirus/COVID-19, see: https://www.wwu.edu/coronavirus

Instructional Library Resources to Support Multiple Academic Literacies

Western Libraries offers a range of resources and services to support your teaching success. Have a question that is not listed below? Contact your Subject Team and we will help you find an answer to your question. 

·        Do you normally use print materials (e.g. books, journals) or other media (e.g. films) within your classes? We can gain access to online materials by purchasing online versions of books, licensing films, or providing access to book chapters. Contact your Subject Team and someone will reach out to assist as soon as possible.  

·        Teaching synchronously (real-time) and interested in a workshop for your students? We can host a range of workshops via Zoom for you and your students. Our workshops range from enhancing one’s research and writing skills (e.g. Finding & Using Sources, Revising & Editing) to being a successful online learner (e.g. time management, test-taking, goal-setting).    

·        Teaching asynchronously and looking for ways to support and advance your research and writing assignments? The Hacherl Research & Writing Studio provides a number of videos and other tutorialsavailable online. We will continue to build on these resources during the next few weeks. Interested in a resource that is not currently available? Contact your Subject Team and we will work to locate or create a potential resource that would meet the needs of your class. 

·        Looking for additional resources to help your students prepare for their research and writing or their math or science courses online? Share the Keep Learning page which highlights resources for students available from various areas including Western Libraries.  

Ask Us! FAQs:  Additionally, you can search for and ask questions related to all Libraries services. You can find answers to common COVID-19-related questions here.