Preliminary Preparation Planning

There are a number of things faculty can do to prepare when facing the possibility of a campus closure or even just a few days away from classes. Good preparation will make the transition for both you and your students easier:

• Gather and organize all your course files in one folder on your computer or in Google Drive. Regardless of where you organize them, be sure you will be able to retrieve or access them from home.

• Digitize any materials that you would have used in class either to show students or handout. You can scan and email them to yourself using your department’s copy machine.

• Research what is available from your textbook's publisher site and get access to any electronic resources, such as quiz banks or slide decks, that may accompany your textbook. These can be helpful in a pinch.

• Review the resources provided on this site and develop your strategy for moving your courses online. Here's a great article to help you start planning your course strategy.

• Request a “sandbox” course in D2L/LIVE to begin practicing with using the tools you want to employ before you have to use them in your actual course shells. Click here to generate a sandbox. You will be asked to login with your Wilkes username and password. Then, click the Click Here to Generate a Sandbox link.

• Communicate with your students about what they can expect from you in the event of a closure including things like preferred methods for communication, where you will share content, when they can expect responses from you, etc.

• Consider reaching out to a colleague who has experience teaching online or using D2L/LIVE to supplement his or her class. Ask them for practical tips on getting started and if they can be a resource for you as you embark on this journey.

Once you have done your initial planning and material gathering, move on to the Course Building Checklist for details on what to do next.