HOW DO STUDENTS TURN IN ASSIGNMENTS?
- Let students know what type of documents to send you and how they should turn them in.
- You can create assignments in Blackboard or Canvas where students can upload their text documents or audio/video recordings. You could also have them email you the assignments.
Remember to review your course assignments and ask yourself the following:
- Do the students have everything they need to complete the assignment?
- Are there clear instructions to allow students to complete it on their own?
- How should they contact you with questions about the assignment?
- Ask yourself if you need to modify the assignment given the unusual situation. Simplicity and clarity are key to reducing undue stress on you and your students. Hopefully, the suspension of face-to-face classes will be temporary this semester. You may consider whether you can rearrange your syllabus to cover topics more easily adapted to short-term use of distance education technology and what assignments and exercises might be delayed.
If your student needs access to SPSS, SPSS is giving students free access to the SPSS Statistics free trial period through June 15, 2020. To download the free trial, fill out the request form at IBM.com.
WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO GIVE FEEDBACK?
Students will need consistent feedback on their progress.
- You can comment on individual assignments.
- You can record audio/video comments for individuals or the whole class using Kaltura.
- Live video conferences can be used for office hours and to hold one-on-one discussions.
HOW DO WE GIVE TESTS?
- Tests can be created in Blackboard or Canvas. Some tests can be automatically graded.
- Creating digital tests can be time-consuming. Respondus Campus-wide can help you create exams offline using a familiar Windows environment. After an exam has been created, it can be published directly to Blackboard Learn or printed on paper for use with offline courses.
- You can import exams into Blackboard or Canvas. View information on importing tests and surveys.
- If you want to email students an existing test, you will want to consider that the test may get posted elsewhere.
- Faculty may also use Proctorio to administer their exams during the suspension of classes as needed. In-person proctoring services are not available. Proctoring requires students to have a webcam and to install a Chrome Browser extension which is an added stress on students. If using proctored tests please consider giving a practice test and refer them to the Help Site to make sure they can use proctoring with their computer.
- Respondus Lock-down Browser is also available to ensure students don't search for answers on the internet or use other applications on their computers.
- You may want to consider whether big tests that are typically supervised might be replaced by more individualized projects that require less proctoring.
HOW CAN I HELP MY STUDENTS TAKE THEIR PROCTORED EXAMS?
State to students the importance of ensuring that Chrome and the Proctorio extension are installed and updated prior to the exam. Additionally, state the importance of rebooting immediately prior to starting an exam; often, a reboot will greatly improve the functioning of a computer, especially if it has not been restarted in a while. Next, ask students to check with their household members and ask them to refrain from high-bandwidth activities during the exam time; this is especially important if the internet connection is not fast, to begin with (take a speed test). Rebooting the WiFi router and/or cable modem can be useful as well; sitting closer to the WiFi router will improve connectivity too. Lastly, remind students to have some extra patience while systems load – images and videos may take some extra time to come up in an exam.
HOW DO I ENSURE STUDENTS COMPLETE ALL CLASSWORK?
Remember that these are unusual and extreme conditions. Your classroom has changed without the proper time to prepare. Determine the essential learning outcomes you feel the students need and prioritize these. What is absolutely essential for the three weeks of teaching at a distance? You are advised to strip out any non-essential work and consider how to create a good learning environment. Undue stress will not help with teaching or learning. Try to create a relaxed and reassuring learning environment for your students.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR STUDENTS TO TURN IN VERY LARGE PROJECT FILES?
Google Drive is a good option for sharing large files.
Every student and instructor have access to Google Drive and the Google Suite or tools through the Google login in FlashLine.