Your syllabus provides a roadmap to your course for both you and your students. Reviewing it is helpful in deciding how to best move content and activities online. If you have students with need for accommodations, please contact deiteam@umn.edu, the disability resource center or review the materials at Accessible U.

• Revise the relevant sections of your syllabus to reflect changes to assignment descriptions and expectations for student work now that these activities will take place online. Focus on the essential elements of your course.

• Revise the schedule of activities and associated due dates when necessary.

• Upload your revised syllabus (including schedule) to Canvas or Google Drive.

• Consider converting documents to PDF. PDFs can be opened by all students as most up-to-date computer operating systems include PDF readers. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is available for free to U of M instructors.

• Upload files to Canvas.

• Links to files and online media, such as TED Talks, can be added to modules or a Canvas page.

• If using Google Drive, files can be easily uploaded and organized into folders.

Canvas Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussions are the three types of graded activities in Canvas. Each activity has options that allow instructors to add variety or to assess specific objectives.

• Use Canvas Assignments when students will need to submit content. This might include text, web site URLs, media recordings, or files.

• Use Canvas Quizzes to create a check for understanding quiz, graded or ungraded survey, or an exam. Quizzes have a variety of question types including multiple choice and essay. Quiz questions and responses can be randomized to increase exam security.

• Add Canvas Discussions when student-to-student and instructor-to-student interaction is needed. Discussions use text for asynchronous discussion. They can be graded or ungraded.

Google Drive allows for the creation, upload, organization and collaboration of files. In some scenarios, Google Drive may be a viable alternative to in-person class activities. This type of course may be harder to manage.

• Use a Google Course group to easily share Google drive folders and their contents with enrolled students.

• Create and share course content by using Google Drive and related applications. Google Drive includes word processing in Google Docs, spreadsheets in Sheets, and presentations in Slides. Your students have access to Google Drive and these apps through their U of M Google accounts. Students can submit assignments by uploading files or by using these Google apps.

• Create and manage content on the go with Apple and Android apps for Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Zoom is the University’s video conferencing tool that enables real-time class sessions. All instructors at the University have access to Zoom, login at umn.zoom.us. Storage capacity of Zoom is limited, recording should be avoided.

• Use Zoom to teach a synchronous class session

  • While this may seem like a logical way to replace a face-to-face class session, there are many technical challenges to hosting and presenting in a large group meeting. If your main goal is delivering content, recording a video may be a simpler option.

  • Communicate with students ahead of time if possible

    • Students; clearly articulate the plans for the course, the time frame and the etiquette you would like enforced. .

    • Download Zoom to the appropriate device and test audio/video in advance. Join a test meeting to make sure your installation is working: https://zoom.us/test

    • Review this brief video overview on how to join a meeting.

    • Recommended Settings for U of M Zoom

    • How to Host a U of M Zoom Meeting

    • How to Schedule a U of M Zoom Meeting

    • How to Participate in a U of M Zoom Meeting

    • Student Guide to Presenting in Zoom

    • Instructions for Preassigned Breakout Rooms

• Hardware

  • Use an external webcam if you have access

  • Both students and instructors use a headset with microphone if you have access

• • For more information on using Zoom for communication or office hours, please see Communication.

Video can be used for announcements, quick summaries, and lecture replacement. Instructional videos do not need to have high production values to be effective. You can use the camera on your phone (or tablet) or the webcam and microphone built into your laptop. The U of M provides a number of tools for creating, editing, and sharing video.

• Capture your computer screen and any on-screen cursor movements (for presentations or demonstrations) and record your webcam with Screencast-o-matic. Screencast-o-matic has editing options and is free for all staff and students. Review the help tutorials.

• iMovie is a video editing application that comes installed on most Apple computers and is free for recently purchased iPhones and iPads. LinkedIn Learning—available to all University faculty, staff, and students—offers robust training videos.

• Kaltura is a streaming video platform. Kaltura appears in your Canvas course navigation as My Media and Media Gallery. Videos uploaded to Kaltura are automatically captioned and these captions can be corrected before they are shared with students. Kaltura videos can be added to Canvas announcements, assignments, quizzes, discussions, and pages.

• You can use the Canvas Video Recorder to add video to pages and activities.

• Kaltura Mediaspace gives you access to video hosting and sharing outside of Canvas. Playlists can be created and shared to organize videos around specific topics. Another option for hosting and sharing videos and video playlists is YouTube. It is included in your U of M Google account. Links to these videos and playlists can be shared with students via a Google Doc.

• Video can be uploaded to Google Drive folders.

If you need software installed on your device, please contact CEHDHelp@umn.edu

Search and locate videos from a variety of sources to share with your students. Try to select videos that have captions that are free of spelling and grammar errors. Links to these videos can be added to Canvas modules, pages, or to shared with students via a Google Doc.

• Youtube

• Vimeo

• U of M Libraries Streaming Video Collections

• Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons