Keep Teaching: Checklist for Temporary Remote Teaching

Keep Teaching Resources During Online Delivery

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most 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 | Keep Working | Keep Connected

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

ATUS, CIIA, OCE, and Western Libraries offer many learning opportunities throughout the year.  Please view the following resources below or look for email announcements sent at the beginning of each quarter.

• Professional Development Canvas Site: 
  • Join self-enroll ATUS-CIIA Canvas course for detailed descriptions, access links, and recordings/support documents.
• Weekly 20-minute Videos: Join self-enroll Monday Morning Mentor Canvas course to view weekly offerings and transcripts and slides for past offerings.
• The New "TLC" - Teaching & Learning Cooperative: is a site that curates strategies, tools, and practices for innovative teaching and learning. To be published soon.

KEY CONCERNS

1. Class Recordings: Is a consent form needed?

   • Find out: Class Recordings Decision Tree: ADA & FERPA (pdf)
   • Study the technology options: Video Options Comparison Charts
   • Review: FAQs for Faculty and FAQs for Students
   • If needed, see: Instructions for Using Canvas Survey: Consent Form for Online Class Recordings

2. How do I keep my live class sessions in Zoom secure?

   • Set your Zoom meeting with “Only authenticated users can join” and select either:
     • Must be signed in with an @wwu.edu account - prompts users to login with their WWU account
     • Must be signed in with any Zoom account - prompts users to login with any Zoom account; good for when outside guests will be part of the session
   • Check your settings: Settings to Keep Your Zoom Session Secure
   • Limit personally identifiable information: How to Participate in Zoom Privately

3. Is this term set up for letter grades or Pass (EP)/No Pass (NP)?

   • At this time, the default option for all classes is for a letter grade. Students can opt for a Pass/No Pass grade by submitting the Grade Mode Change Form. Faculty will see the grade options (letter grades vs. EP/NP grade options when submitting final grades in Web4U.
   • See: Winter Undergraduate Grading Policy

4. How can I improve my internet, home computer system, and home office?

   • See: Getting the Most Out of Your Home Office

5. Are there any mid-point surveys I can use?

   • See: Options for Evaluation of Remote Instruction

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

1. Communicate intentions with students.

   • Let students how you will be delivering your course, 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 through ATUS Equipment Loan (request via online form).
       • See Keep Connected for more options
     • 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 Keep Connected for more options
   • Ask students if they have a situation that makes it difficult for them to participate at a distance or meet the class schedule.

2. Get prepared technologically.

   When developing a class for online delivery, it will serve you and your students well to be experienced with the strategies and tools. Be sure to explore the resources and reach out to the ATUS, CIIA, and OCE instructional designers & technologists for assistance.

   • Canvas Learning Management System
     • Be ready to use Canvas as your primary content delivery method.
       • Canvas Help at WWU
       • WWU Canvas Orientation for Faculty - This is a self-enroll Canvas course with all the information to help faculty be successful users of Canvas.
   • Online Technologies for Remote Teaching - Explore the many tools and strategies available to you for web conferencing, audio or video recording, online collaboration, and more.
   • File Sharing via 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.

     • 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.
     • 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. 
   • Media Equipment: If you need a webcam, headset, laptop, or other equipment, check with ATUS Classroom Services/Equipment Loan for availability. Most laptops are already configured with devices for audio/video recording.

3. 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.