Managing your Online Course

Review the Best Practices and Expectations for Online Instruction.

Quick Checklist

• Import content from another course (how to import course content)

• Adjust due dates for course events and assignments

• Update course settings in your D2L site

• Build your Start Here/Unit 0 Module (available to students one week before classes start)

• Add your Syllabus (Syllabus requirements)

• Add a Calendar of Due Dates (recommended, not required)

• Create a Course Schedule, if not already part of your syllabus

• Add a "Getting to Know You" activity

• Set up or revise your Gradebook

• Set up Groups, if you plan to use small-group activities

• Organize your Course Modules using a consistent format

• Set up your personal notification preferences 

• Send students a Welcome Letter or email message using the class list on D2L. We suggest instructors send this initial greeting at least once per week though the first week or two of the class in order to catch any students who enrolled late. 

• Make your course visible to students prior to or by the first day of classes (how to make your course available)

• Contact the CTL LMS Administrator about any third-party integrations (for new integrations, 6 months in advance)

Details

Start Here/Unit 0 Module

Use the CTL course templates to build this quickly. It should include a Unit 0 Checklist, your Calendar of Due Dates, and your Syllabus, and should go live before the first day of class.

The CTL templates include tow ready-made modules:

Course Introduction Module, that should include:

• • A welcoming video or message from the instructor

  • Instructor contact information

  • A "Getting to Know You" activity and/or pre-course survey

  • Learning outcomes

  • Your syllabus 

The Start Here Module that helps students  navigate D2L course and find NEIU resources. Keep at least these two tutorials:

• Setting up Notifications

• How to Navigate D2L

Gradebook

Use the D2L Gradebook and keep it current. Students expect to see grades throughout the semester, not just at the end.

Course Modules

Use consistent terminology throughout your course (e.g., don't switch between "quiz" and "assessment," or "lab work" and "assignment," for the same thing). If you use non-standard terms, define them.

You can also hide upcoming modules from students until a set release date, if you prefer to reveal content gradually.

Ensure Accessibility 

All course content must be accessible to students (CTL Accessibility Checklist).

1. Activate your class so students are able to see it (Activating Your Course). 

2. Send an email to students who have not yet logged into the course.

See this article on Five Things to Do on the First Day of Class. 

Complete NEIU Star Early Alert two-week progress monitoring checkpoint. (NEIU Star Basics) 

1. Post an announcement covering what you'll be teaching that week and reminding students of upcoming due dates.

2. Update your checklist or course calendar with any new or revised due dates, and unhide any modules or assignments you'd previously kept hidden.

3. Grade and post all assignments. Aim to return feedback within one week of the due date as students can't move forward successfully without it. If a longer turnaround is unavoidable, let students know immediately.

4. Summarize discussion forum conversations so students can see the key takeaways before moving on to the next topic. 

5. Hold online office hours to give your students a chance to connect with you in real time.

• Administer an informal student evaluation. A brief mid-semester survey lets you gather feedback and adjust your instruction while there's still time to make a difference. Create a survey in Google Forms and share the link on your D2L site. Keep it short. Three questions work well:

  • What has been the most helpful for your learning in this class so far?

  • What has caused you the most difficulty in this class so far?

  • What suggestion(s) can you make that would improve your learning experience in this class?

Here is a sample introduction you could adapt:

"No one is perfect, and that your instructor. Please take a few minutes to provide me feedback so that I can make improvements that enhance our course experience. This survey is anonymous."  

• Complete the NEIU Star Progress Monitoring Survey. See NEIU Star Basics for an overview.

Encourage your students to complete the Student Course Evaluation. Research has shown that the biggest influence on whether a student completes an end-of-class survey is the instructor! Therefore, a note from you encouraging your students to complete the survey and assuring them that the information will be kept confidential and used to improve the course is essential for a high response rate. See information on Student Course Evaluations at NEIU.

1. Post an end-of-class announcement to wrap-up the course. Include a final request to complete the Student Course Evaluation.

2. Handle any deferred grade requests

3. Remind students to download/print any work they want to keep.

4. Post final grades

5. Review and revise your course materials while everything is fresh in your mind. 

• Release grades. If you want students to be able to view their final grades in D2L, you must release them. Follow these instructions. 

• Back up grades. It is a good idea to back up grades, just in case. However, you must be sure to protect student data. We recommend using Google Drive for this purpose, as it is password protected and FERPA-compliant.  If you need training to use the Google Drive, please reach out to clt@neiu.edu

• Handle any deferred grade requests. See Incomplete Grade Policy.

• Remind students to download/print any work they want to keep.

• Post final grades. You will find instructions here.

• Embrace a continuous improvement process. Use student feedback to make changes to your course. While it is fresh in your mind, now is the ideal time to consider what worked well and where there is room for improvement in course content, activities and assessments. We recommend storing a Google document on your Google Drive for this purpose. 

• Reflect on your equity-minded and inclusive practices. Make notes about what you want to change about your course to address equity and inclusion.

• Reach out to the librarians. If you need help with bringing in readings, videos, audio or images to better represent your students and discipline, don’t forget about the NEIU librarians. You will also find a wealth of resources on our Library’s website. See the Faculty Guide to the Library.

You can easily copy your courses from this semester into the course shells for next semester. With just a few tweaks, your course will be ready to go. Here are the step by step instructions:

1. Copy your current course into your course for next semester.  

2. Manage your dates. You can adjust the dates for when assignments are due all at one time using the same pattern and rhythm from the previous semester.

• D2L Gradebook.  Using the D2L gradebook is strongly recommended. Students want to know where they stand in your course. They expect to see their grades posted throughout the semester and not just at the end of their course.

• D2L Groups.  If you want to break down your class into smaller groups for certain learning activities, this is a helpful tool.

• D2L Modules. Reorganize modules to support consistency. For example, consider the following pattern to every module:

1. Module Overview, with a brief description and learning objectives for the module listed, along with how the objectives align with course learning outcomes.

2. Module or Unit Checklist, so students can track completion of what they are required to do in the module

3. Read & Review, a section where required readings, videos, audios and any other content is posted that students review prior to or after the class session 

4. Learning Activity/ies or “You Do” section where students engage in learning activities appropriate for meeting the module objective(s). These may include discussion forums, applied projects, writing activities, lab simulations, etc.

5. Assessment, a formative or summative assessment that aligns with the course objective(s)

6. Assignments and due dates.