A key element of my PDLT role is developing training for staff and students and understanding the requirements of the audience is vital. For example, staff in the Department of Computer Science have a different approach to their teaching and assessment process than those delivering online learning in our Management School. When training system users, I therefore tailor each session accordingly so that it covers information relevant to the audience.
I have worked with our Educational Adviser for Online Learning to develop and deliver a staff training programme that combines concepts of online teaching, with the practical ‘how-to's’ within Canvas itself. The introduction session I co-deliver shows staff how to navigate within Canvas and highlights the communication methods when teaching at a distance, including the use of the discussion boards, module announcements and individual conversations via the Canvas inbox. I also provide a follow-on session that looks at the marking and assessment process which covers the use of SpeedGrader (the assignment submission tool in Canvas), the differences between marking exams and assignments, and the moderation process.
To be able to deliver the training I have had to not only build my knowledge and understanding of Canvas, but also the other systems linked to Canvas via LTI integrations. For example Padlet boards are embedded throughout Canvas to enable students to post ideas to a board to show understanding. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra has also been used to host webinars within the system and I have helped provide guidance to the tutors on how to set this up with Canvas. We have also integrated Turnitin Canvas Plagiarism Framework to provide originality checks on students' work when marking. I have had to learn about the functionality of these systems to be able to instruct others on their use.
The University of York delivers 6 online terms per year, which means that a constant cycle of new tutors require training within the system. I have found that the requirement for continuous training can be a time intensive process. To help support the training, it is important to have guides that users can refer back to that cover the advice I give in each session. In addition I also record each session using Blackboard Collaborate to provide a resource of what is discussed. I have also learnt that staff don’t always read through the guides and so I’m currently working on short training videos that cover the topics discussed at each session. The aim is that staff can refer to these if they can’t attend or wish to refer back to something as a reference.. Having a library of the videos will also be helpful for contingency backup for myself if I’m ever unable to deliver the training in person.
To help understand how staff use the guides and videos I create, I use bitly.com to monitor clicks on hyperlinks to my material. Guidance on the submission process seems to be the most popular so I make sure this is covered in the training I deliver. Support requests are also monitored and fed back upon at our team meetings and this helps highlight requirements for further guidance. For instance, I’m aware that a number of questions arose from students about the process of submitting an exam in Canvas so I aim to improve the guidance material that is available on this to help improve module feedback.
Feedback from staff on the training and support materials has been positive and has helped to limit the number of support requests I receive as a result. As the number of users continues to grow I hope that staff will also continue to support each by identifying best practice within the system. I encourage previous Canvas teachers to attend sessions for new staff as their input is often really helpful in informing others about what processes have worked well for them when using the system. I have incorporated this feedback into the training I have delivered for staff which helps the sessions to develop and evolve.