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Task: This article describes which technologies are available to use in order to continue teaching during an academic disruption.
Instructions:
Academic disruptions may occur for a wide variety of reasons such as severe weather events, unsafe conditions on campus, public health emergencies, and other circumstances. When classroom instruction is interrupted, faculty may need to use alternative methods and tools to continue class activities at a distance.
Learning Design and Technology can assist with many aspects contact us with your needs: HERE
We understand that not all courses are fully appropriate for distance learning modalities. Due to this, faculty may need to construct alternative ways to achieve the learning objectives of the course.
Some core class activities will need to continue during a disruption:
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Communicating with students. Communicate your plan with your students through myCourses. The easiest way to email the whole class is to create and send email through myCourses. You can either email the whole class or email individual student.
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Delivering course content
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Encouraging student participation: answering questions, discussion, group work, etc.
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Administering assignments, tests, and grades
Technologies for Teaching at a Distance
USNH IT supports many different technologies which can be utilized in order to continue teaching for the duration of any academic disruption. The keys to success are preparing and remaining flexible.
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Technology
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Description
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myCourses
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This is the Learning Management System for all the campuses. Every course has a course shell created automatically despite the type of the course you are teaching (online, face-to-face or hybrid). You should use myCourses as the predominant vehicle for teaching your course during any disruption.
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Zoom Web Conferencing
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Zoom Is a web conferencing tool that allows you to have a live classroom session with students when teaching online, and offers 24/7 support and online live training courses. You can learn more about teaching with Zoom at: https://td.usnh.edu/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=2176
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If you are not familiar with Zoom, take the Live Training Webninars. It is free!
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Before using Zoom, make sure you meet the System Requirements for PC, Mac, and Linux
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Remember, do not schedule class meetings during days and times the class was not originally scheduled to meet, and do not extend the meeting time. Students may be expected in another zoom meeting, just as they would be in another classroom.
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USNH has a campus-wide license for Zoom which means every faculty, staff, and student may use it to host meetings and collaborate!
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Kaltura Capture
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Use Kaltura Capture to record asynchronous lectures (using audio and/or video, screen capture, or PowerPoint slides) and make those recordings available to your students.
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Kaltura Capture: Kaltura Capture simplifies the process of recording lectures at home or in your office using your laptop. You can choose to record presentations or your screen for software demonstrations, with an optional video recording of you. You can learn more about getting started at https://td.usnh.edu/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=1437
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Kaltura - My Media and Course Gallery: You can also use Kaltura to upload videos from other sources, share your videos with colleagues, and collect videos from your students. To learn more, visit the Kaltura Overview. https://td.usnh.edu/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=1213
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Exchange Email
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With Exchange email, you can access your faculty/staff email through the web or an email client such as Microsoft Outlook.
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Microsoft Office 365
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Office 365 gives you and your students access to current versions of various Office applications, such as Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint
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Prepare for a Disruption
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Familiarize yourself with the available technology tools and how they may be used during a disruption.
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https://www.unh.edu/teaching-learning-resource-hub/
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Access and install these technologies at home: Outlook/Exchange email, myCourses, Zoom, and Kaltura Capture.
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Have a backup of your teaching materials that you can access from home. This includes your syllabus, lecture files, class plans and notes, assignments with instructions, exams and quizzes, and grades. Box is a great way of backing up your files!
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Attend a Teaching & Learning Technology training course for technologies you are unfamiliar with.
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Consider how your class would change if you had to teach at a distance:
- Keep a copy of important contacts (names, emails, and phone numbers) in your department and across the University.
During a Disruption
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Use clear & routine communication to students about your expectations & what you will do during the disruption. Include specific actions, timelines, and instructions to access online course material until normal operating procedures resume.
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Be prepared to adjust your syllabus. If needed, be prepared to construct alternative instructional activities to achieve course learning objectives. Can course material be condensed and prioritized in the event that teaching time is lost?
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Be aware of students with disabilities and those who have English as a non-native language. These students may need extra assistance.
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Don't assume all your students will have Internet access. There may be power or service outages. Have alternative options for students who may have technological or other issues.
Outcome:
Users should be able to successfully teach during academic disruptions.
Further reading:
Need additional help?
Please use this link to the Technology Help Desk to locate your local campus contact information.