LibGuides: Academic Technology and Instructional Design Resources: Get your Course Ready

Tips Get Your course Ready

Syllabus: Post your updated and accessible syllabus in both .pdf and .docx format.
Open Educational Resources (OER): Consider using free and low-cost online materials
Web Links: Check all web links to ensure they are active, correct and set to open in a new window. To ensure accessibility, web links should describe the link's content, not the URL.
Are you teaching a course you have previously taught? Import a course (or some materials) from a previous semester. It is easy to incorporate materials from previous semesters by importing or copying your course components.
Use modules that are logically organized (e.g., weekly, thematically) and consistently structured
Familiarize yourself with your gradebook and ensure your assignment group weights match the grading scheme from your syllabus correctly.
Create assignments to allow students to submit their work (documents, media files, links to online work, etc.) and set up discussions to facilitate academic discourse, share course logistics, build community, collaborate, etc.
Post an announcement to inform students of the course modality and your requirements for the first class.

Ensure you and your students have the tools and resources needed:

A desktop or laptop device with a webcam.
Reliable internet access.
Ensure that you have remote access to your teaching resources such as syllabus, readings, and other course materials.
- Determine your teaching method: synchronous or asynchronous or a combination of both
- Determine your method of communication
Update your Syllabus with important information that students should know.
- Resources available - Academic and Non-Academic. Include services that support student well-being, access to Disability Services, etc.
Ensure that you can log in to Jenzabar and access course tools and course conten
Ensure that you have a license for Zoom Pro, if not, send an email to helpdesk@rcc.mass.edu
Practice accessing your course materials from your ‘home’ remote location using the computer you intend to use to ensure there are no connectivity issues. Now is a good time to assess if any upgrades are needed. If you are concerned about your existing computer hardware.

Get a listing of all your students and their email addresses
Decide on the method you will use (email, Jenzabar, Teams, Zoom, VoiceThread, etc.)
Communicate with your students early and at regular intervals

Review your pedagogical practices:

Connect with our team email elearning@rcc.mass.edu | Book a Consult | Attend a Drop-In Session
Choose teaching strategies
Seek opportunities for constructive and collaborative dialogue with your colleagues and departmental leadership about your plans for ensuring continuity of teaching and learning

Ensure you can connect with your students (Jenzabar, Email, Zoom):

Most importantly, communicate with your students to inform them of changes and to share expectations (e.g. how frequently you will be available outside of regular class hours and office hours)

Review and practice using various tools/technologies to meet your pedagogical needs:

Practice accessing your course materials from your ‘home’ remote location using the computer you intend to use to ensure there are no connectivity issues. Now is a good time to assess if any upgrades are needed. If you are concerned about your existing computer hardware please contact  the IT Support
Consider setting up your VoiceThread, YuJa accounts to record your lecture
Ensure that you can have a license to Zoom (if not, request a license through the IT Help Desk)