Quick Transition to Online Learning

Synchronous vs Asynchronous Delivery

Given the urgent need to maintain instruction with little time to prepare faculty should first decide on how they want to facilitate class sessions remotely.

Synchronous delivery using Bay Path’s Zoom web conferencing software allows faculty and students to interact in “real time” and it most closely recreates the classroom learning experience. Faculty could continue to meet at the scheduled classroom time but there are limits to the types of activities that are possible and some students may experience technical problems related to wi-fi bandwidth and two-way audio / video exchanges.

Asynchronous delivery is more accessible to students and it provides more time for them to engage with the material. If faculty have a well defined syllabus the transfer of materials is not burdensome and lectures can be pre-recorded using the screencast-o-matic video capture tool. While this method is most common in the online learning world it might be less common to traditional students who could be misdirected by instructions that lack real time directions.

The following article might help you to decide on a primary format. Hrastinski, S. (2008) Asynchronous and Synchronous E-Learning, A study of asynchronous and synchronous e-learning methods discovered that each supports different purposes. Educause Quarterly Number 4, 2008

Overview Video | Checklist (Print Version)

If classes have been disrupted by unforeseen circumstances it is important that faculty reach out immediately to their students and inform them that classes are ongoing and that they are expected to actively participate online using Canvas.

Establish communication with your students.

Send an announcement in Canvas to students clearly telling them what to expect. Visit the following pages on setting expectations and roles and responsibilities for suggestions on how students can successfully participate in an online class. If you feel a student is struggling within your course or might be in danger of dropping your class submit their name to the Early Alert System.

Identify student access problems.

Confirm that all your students have technology available at home. Desktop, Laptops, iPads and Chromebook computers are preferred but students can participate using their cell phones however data usage could be a problem. If you find that students are struggling with technology access contact the IT department at https://support.baypath.edu This survey by Educause shows Students' Readiness to Adopt Fully Online Learning.

Determine how you will teach remotely.

Decide whether they want to teach synchronously or asynchronously. Synchronous delivery using Bay Path’s Zoom web conferencing software allows faculty and students to interact in “real time.” Asynchronous delivery is more accessible to students and it provides more time for them to engage with the material. Before planning your lessons it is important that you determine the primary delivery mode. Depending on if you are teaching synchronously or asynchronously your lesson will look different in Canvas. Both might include assignments and discussion forums but if you are using Zoom you may not need to create an overview page.

Build your lesson in Canvas.

Create a lesson overview page in Canvas. Every class assigned by the registrar has a dedicated course shell in Canvas. If you are teaching several classes you will need to locate the unique canvas shell for each class and repeat these steps for each. The overview page should include student learning objectives and links to readings and other resources. This can be copied over directly from your syllabus. If you are not meeting synchronously in Zoom then you should include a lesson description, and any other required directions.

Using Zoom for “real-time” meetings.

Using Zoom within Canvas provides an easy way to schedule meetings and provides easy access for students. If you are considering using Zoom to replicate the classroom experience you might consider using breakout rooms for managing group activities and the share screen and polling options to promote active learning.

Using pages to record a lecture.

Recording video lectures that are linked directly in Canvas is possible using universities preferred software screencast-o-matic.

Creating assignments to collect student work.

Creating assignments allows you to manage the collection of student work in any format. Faculty can select the grading type and due dates and students upload their submissions for private viewing and assessment by the instructor. For suggestions on creating meaningful online assignments visit the assignment suggestions tutorial.

Using discussion forums to promote interaction.

Discussion forums allow for the sharing of ideas and understanding in an asynchronous online learning environment through threaded, written discussions where faculty and students can engage in written (or audio/video) dialogue. For suggestions on creating and facilitating a lively asynchronous discussion visit the good discussions tutorial.

Organizing your content using modules.

Creating modules organizes your overview page, lectures, assignments and discussions into a single lesson. Using well written introductions, due dates within discussions and assignments and clear organization within modules an online lesson will emerge that resembles the more traditional single class session that your students are used to.

Publishing your course.

Publish your course once a single module of content is complete to make it available to students. Should the school closure extend beyond you would be required to repeat the process again for future sessions as needed.

Grading in Speedgrader

Speedgrader for grading assignments allows instructors to leave inline comments, grades, and feedback for student's work all on one screen. It can be used with assignments, graded discussions, and quizzes. Some file types can be marked up for feedback directly within the submission.

The tips below should help inform your design decisions as you prepare lessons for the coming weeks. Good pre-planning will reduce the number of emails you will receive from students. As you prepare your lessons we recommend that you browse best practices readings for inspiration.

Provide clear expectations

• • What is the new format and how does it replicate what was

  • What happens pre-class, in class, post-class

  • Provide a clear time table with due dates

  • Explain how the grading / assignments may have changed

  • Include clear concise directions for discussions and assignments

Maintain relationship with students

• • Use multiple formats; text, email, discussion forums, video welcomes/summaries, chats, Zoom

  • Provide virtual office hours

  • Encourage students to stay connected. (Create group projects or peer review assignments)

  • Personalize learning by using audio/video feedback in Spreedgrader or in discussion comments

Assessment strategy

• • Provide frequent check ins to measure learning

  • Consider turning a final exam into a project based assessment

  • Tips for online exams can be found at Testing in an Online Environment.

  • Offer student choice on assignments and assessment

Seek student feedback

• Allow for comments and suggestions on readings, media choices and assignments

Every class assigned by the registrar has a dedicated course shell in Canvas. At a minimum on ground faculty post their syllabus at the start of each semester and they may add files, link to articles or post announcements. Here are the rest of the tools that faculty may utilize:

• Assignments: Instructors can create space for students to upload submissions, from informal reflections to formal written assignments and projects. Instructors can select the grading approach within the assignment. Assignments are best for instructors who wish for the students’ work to only be viewed and assessed by the instructor.

• Announcements: Instructors can send mass e-mails or messages to the whole class community via the Announcements tool. The benefit to using Announcements over e-mail is that instructors do not need to collect individual student e-mail addresses and that the messages are archived in the course Canvas site.

• Discussions: Instructors can create threaded, written discussion forums for instructors to engage in written (or audio/video) dialogue with each other and respond to written prompts.

• Modules: Instructors can organize course content into several chunks or groups of learning content. The pieces of information that students will access, including the syllabus, assignment sheets, activity descriptions, and outside links and resources, can be grouped together in the order that students might access those resources during a synchronous or asynchronous class session. Modules can give students access to readings, activity descriptions, outside links, and assignment submission links all in one place.

• Pages: Instructors can create content for students to read or access that is not already created in a separate website or in a Word Document or other kind of document. The settings for Pages can also be changed so that the page can be edited by both instructors and students to create a class Wiki.

• Screencast-o-matic is a screen capture software that can be used to create video from your screen (i.e. short lectures or course tours), accessible through the Canvas text editor.

• Zoom: provides video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, collaboration, chat, and webinars across mobile devices, desktops, telephones, and room systems