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Editing Links and Rubrics from Other Courses

September 24, 2021
Situations may present themselves in which links or rubrics from another course can be useful in a current course. Should this occur, rubrics from other courses can be uploaded into another course. To successfully insert a previously built rubric, please follow the following steps.

Updating Your Syllabus

September 24, 2021
Over time, you may want to make changes to the syllabus of a course. The syllabus documents are saved in the “Files” area (1) of the course. To preserve the integrity of the document, the Word document is located in the “Instructor Only” folder (3) and the PDF is found in the “Documents” folder (2) so it is visible to students.

Authentic Activities

September 27, 2021
The majority of online learners seek formal education for a multitude of reasons but can be frustrated by the lack of transferrable skills. Online education can bridge this gap by utilizing authentic activities, allowing learners to gain skills that directly connect to their professional lives.

No Sweat Alt Text

September 24, 2021
What is “alt text”? Alt text is descriptive text linked to an image, graph, or other visual content that allows users to understand the visual without viewing it. Any image online should contain alt text, but guidelines differ depending on whether the image is simply decorative or related to other content on the page.

Implementing Social Media

September 27, 2021
Many students use social media platforms in their daily lives, and “emerging evidence indicates that students express positive attitudes toward using social media for learning in general” (Baisley-Nodine, Ritzhaupt & Antonenko, 2018). However, there are also many concerns connected with using social media in an educational setting. These include issues related to a lack of familiarity with the platform, the potential for distraction, and privacy concerns. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan the use of social media in a course to address any potential issues or concerns.

Accessing Open Educational Resources

September 24, 2021
While Open Educational Resources (OERs) can take on many forms, including assignments, videos, and articles, open textbooks have provided students with more affordable options for accessing and purchasing required course materials.

Copyright

September 27, 2021
From time to time instructors may want to include in their courses copyrighted materials like images, print content, audio recordings, or videos. The University of Minnesota Libraries define copyright as “the area of law that deals with creation, ownership, sale, and use of creative and expressive works.”

Improving PowerPoints

September 28, 2021
Sharing information via PowerPoint presentations is a long-established strategy in higher education. Designing PowerPoint presentations for online courses can pose unique challenges; however, best practices can help overcome these hurdles. With time and attention, faculty and instructional designers can create engaging and purposeful presentations with lasting value.

Quantitative Course Best Practices

July 02, 2024
"What I hear, I forget; what I see, I remember; what I do, I understand." –Chinese proverb

Self-Recording Best Practices

September 24, 2021
While traditional lectures are delivered in front of a classroom, allowing you to read students’ engagement and adjust in real time to both content and pacing, online lectures do not afford the same flexibility. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan your videos in accordance with best practices in online learning. There are many video types and formats to choose from (See the Envision blog: Matching Video Production Style to Learning Goals), and one decision you'll need to make is whether you want to appear on camera. This guide covers best practices for videos that will include your webcam footage.