Following is a list of items that should be done as you prepare for and teach your online class.

Several Weeks Before Class Begins

1. Review Best Practices and Expectations for Online Teaching
2. If you are working with an Instructional Designer or a Teaching Assistant, make sure they are added to every section of your course in Blackboard. Add them if needed.
   See How do I add users to a course? for details.
3. Merge Course Sections (if applicable)
   Visit Merging Courses in Blackboard for for information. Contact Blackboard@SouthPlainsCollege.edu for help setting it up.
4. Import Content From Another Course (if applicable)
   • See How do I import content from another Blackboard course? for help.
   • NOTES:
     • If you want to adjust the due dates associated with the course events and assignments, be sure to click the "Adjust events and due dates" checkbox. If your course has an Orientation, your beginning date is one week prior to the official start date of your course. You must have a start date in the empty course shell you are importing into in order for this to work.
     • Unless you have selected the "delay posting" feature for an announcement in a previous offering, the date won't carry over to an imported course. Instead, it will make all announcements visible to students (and then you will need to go into each announcement and manually check the "delay posting" box and assign a date).
     • Check/enable the correct Course Grading Scheme after copying as it does not always copy consistently.
   • See How do I adjust events and due dates in a course import? for help.
5. Update Course Settings in Blackboard
   • Courses are all set to open on the  first day of classes each semester.
   • Do not set a course end date.
   • Set the time zone to CST from your personal settings.
   • See Course Settings and How do I set a time zone in my user account? for help.
6. Update Navigation Structure in Blackboard to the SPC template
   If necessary, update the navigational structure by following the approved SPC template for course navigation. Note that we use this template because research has shown that consistent and limited navigation reduces student confusion. There is also a template course faculty can request to be added to for additional assistance.
7. Update Syllabus in Blackboard
   • The Syllabus in Blackboard can be a file upload or a link to your syllabi online.
   • See How do I edit the Syllabus description in a course? 
   • See 7 Things You Didn't Know Blackboard Could Do!
8. Double-Check/Update Course Calendar in Blackboard
   • When you import from one Blackboard course to another Blackboard course, you can set up the dates upon import by clicking the "Adjust events and due dates" checkbox. It is important to verify that the dates imported correctly, and be sure to adjust for spring break, thanksgiving break, etc. as needed. As you add/change due dates to assignments, quizzes, etc., the Calendar will be built automatically.
   • Add additional events/assignments to the calendar (reminders to start a lesson/reading, semester notices, etc.).
   • Remove extraneous dates as necessary. Keep in mind that if you have more than one course, you will see those dates, too. Make sure you don’t delete a Calendar entry from a different course. See How do I filter the Calendar view by course? to avoid this problem.
   • See What is the Calendar for instructors and Assignments for help.
9. Review Gradebook
   • View Grades/Gradebook for help.
   • See our Gradebook tutorial here.
10. Hide Select Class Materials From Student View in Blackboard (optional)
    Some faculty like to lock Module items to automatically be hidden until a certain date. Your dates should have updated when you imported your previous course section, but it's a good idea to check to make sure this happened.
    • See How do I lock a Module? for help.
11. Set your Personal Notifications in Blackboard
    You can set notifications in Blackboard to be sent to your email or your cell phone. You can choose to be notified "right away," in a "daily summary," in a "weekly summary," or "not at all." Keep in mind that these settings are global, so they apply to all of your courses and cannot be set by course. You are not able to set preferences for your students, but you can recommend that they do so themselves.

    The following are recommendations for notification settings for optimal teaching.

    • Discussion and Discussion Posts - set to "Daily Summary."
    • Conversations - Set to "Right Away" so you don’t miss anything. This is Canvas’ version of email, but it doesn’t work exactly like a typical email. It is more like a group text.
    • All Submissions - If you want to see when students are submitting assignments and quizzes in real-time, set this to "Right Away."
    • Submission Comment - If a student responds to a comment that you make while grading, you may want to be notified of that "Right Away."
    • See How do I set my Blackboard notification preferences?
12. Reactivate Library Reserves
    If applicable, contact the library to reactivate course e-Reserves.
13. Review Course Content
    Update your syllabus and instructor information page, fix broken hyperlinks, update outdated information and images, etc. If you use more than one website for your course make sure you check everywhere that is applicable.
14. Send Students a Welcome Letter
    • We suggest that instructors send a class welcome letter to the class at least once per week through the first week or two of class in order to catch any late adds. Visit Emailing Your Class Roster using Announcements for help.
    • Your welcome letter should include the following information>:
      • The URL/location of the course
      • The URL/location of the syllabus
      • How to log in (typically using their SPC Username ID and password)
      • What materials they need to purchase and where they can get them
      • Who to contact if they need technical assistance 
    • For More information about your Start Here page.
    • Sample Welcome Letter
      
      Hello and Welcome to GEOG 472!
      
      This class will officially begin on Monday, May 16, 2020.
      
      Meanwhile, feel free to familiarize yourself with the material in our class orientation. You'll find the course itself at [insert link here]. Click on the Welcome link to get started. A link to each lesson of this course website can also be found in the corresponding module for that lesson in Blackboard. We will use Blackboard for grades, assessments, assignment submissions, course communications, and the calendar. Make sure you read our syllabus (link to syllabus) thoroughly for information about the course grading structure, late policies, and our schedule.
      
      Rather than emailing questions directly to me, I encourage you to post any question that you would ask in a traditional class to the General Questions and Discussion forum. Asking questions on our forums can benefit all students in that everyone will see the discussions and answers regarding class questions.
      
      For questions that are more personal in nature, please contact me through the course email system in Blackboard.
      
      See you soon!
      
      Joe Smith, class instructor

One Week Before the Class Starts

Standard practice for many online courses at South Plains College is to give students an "orientation week" access to the class is available the Thursday before the semester officially begins. This practice enables distance learners to try out their SPC Accounts and familiarize themselves with the class environment, watch the welcome videos, etc. so that they will be comfortable and ready to learn on the first day of class.

1. Be ready and know that courses will be open and students will be able to see and interact with your course. See How to Change the Entry Point
2. Provide Formal Orientation Materials on your Start Here Page and/or in a Week 0 folder.

Learn more about the Start Here page

Use low or no-stakes assignments to familiarize your students with technology and processes.

• How do I send an email through Blackboard?
• How do I use Course Messages?
• How do I view analytics for a student in a course?

Census and Drop Dates

Watch your email for more information on certifying your roster. The registrar will send detailed instructions.

Be aware of drop dates. Plan your assignments accordingly.

Daily

How often you check the class is an individual decision, but you should let your students know upfront about how often they can expect to hear from you. Checking in at least once each business day and a few times over the weekend is a good rule of thumb. Many faculty strive to read and respond to all e-mail conversations and discussion forums within 24 hours. To expedite your communications with students, make sure that your Canvas notifications are set up properly. 

1. Monitor the Class Discussions. You can have all discussions forwarded to your email by Subscribing to a Discussion. We recommend that you do this for each discussion.
2. Monitor and respond to all email conversations.

Weekly

Once a week (preferably on the same day each week) we recommend that you:

1. Post an Announcement telling students what you will be covering that week and reminding them of any due dates.

   Example 1:

   Hi everyone,

   Nice work on the quizzes again this week. Over the next couple of days, I will be contacting people to see if I can add your responses to the exemplary work folder for last week & this week. Overall it has been exciting for me to see the depth that you are digging into the issues. There are no simple answers. In many cases, there are several "good" choices (or several bad choices), that's what makes it a dilemma. I enjoy reading your opinions. Remember, ethics is about understanding HOW you think about things (your thought processes), WHAT you think (your opinions), and WHY you think that. You are getting really good at identifying the important parts of the issue, but don't forget to fully articulate what is going on in your brain and follow the ethical argument all the way through to the end.

   One general piece of feedback... Last week we learned about some of the most unethical and destructive journalists in the business: Blair & Kelley, in particular. This week, all of the journalists in the case studies are GOOD journalists. The big take-away that crossed all of the situations is the PERCEPTION of bias. None of these journalists had complaints or reprimands about actual bias or other unethical practices. Instead, their editors were struggling to make decisions about what the public MIGHT think given certain salient facts.

   This week's assignment is a little different: a discussion board. It is required and graded, so please make sure you understand the expectations. There is a rubric posted online at [insert link here]. Don't wait until the last minute! A discussion is an ongoing process. You can receive up to five (5) points for QUALITY and up to five (5) points for QUANTITY for a total of 10 points.

   Purpose of the Discussion Board: to analyze course concepts as a class on a deeper level than in the readings or to use the readings to facilitate a deeper understanding.

   Method for Discussion Board: interact with classmates and instructor by posting thoughtful discussion ideas in the discussion areas. There technically is no right or wrong answer for these assignments, but you must make your points based on factual evidence and in a clear and concise manner. This means with clear thesis statements, detailed explanations, apparent connection between concepts and behaviors, and strong organization.

   READ: Knowlton: Part II: 22 & 23

   WATCH: Part I of the PBS special series, News War, [insert link here]

   Please let me know if you have any questions or if you want to re-write your quiz.

   Shannon

   Example 2:

   Hello Everyone,

   I hope that you are all doing well and feeling more comfortable in the course.

   Please let me know if you have questions or concerns about it.

   Make sure that you did all of the items that were due last weekend:

   Week 1: August 23 - August 28

   - Read Syllabus
   - Find Course Content
   - Complete Academic Integrity Quiz
   - Read course email
   - Log in to Blackboard, our online meeting space for the entire class (let your instructor know if you have any problems)
   - Read the Team Technology Video Project
   - Complete the Introduction Assignment

   Also, look at the other major assignments and make sure you are familiar with what is expected.

   Remember these items are due tomorrow (Sept 4) by 8 pm EST:

   Week 2: August 29 - September 4

   - Read Course Content: Introduction to IST
   - Apply for your Penn State Web Space
   - Complete the Practice Quiz
   - Complete Discussion Activity 1 for "Online Course Success"

   Here is a question someone asked:

   Q: Does the Practice Quiz count or should I study for it?

   A: No, it does not count at all. Don't study for it. It is only meant to help you try the quiz tool prior to the real thing.

   Looking toward next week, these are due by Sept 11 at 8 PM EST:

   Week 3: September 5 - September 11

   - Read Course Content: Introduction to Project Management
   - Complete Discussion Activity 2 for "Introduction to IST"
   - Complete Facebook Activity

   You should be starting to discuss your project with your team.

   Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Have a great weekend!

   ~Amy

2. Update your class calendar with any new or revised due dates.
3. Grade all assignments. Students appreciate timely feedback on their assignments and will let you know if they feel they are waiting too long! How long it takes to grade assignments and send meaningful feedback to students depends, of course, on the nature of the assignment. However, students may not be able to proceed in your course until they get your feedback on how they are doing. Most faculty strive to grade their assignments within one week of an assignment due date. If you anticipate that it will take longer than a week to return student work, it is best to inform them in advance when their grades and feedback will be available. Doing so will forestall a lot of questions from students and calls to the main office! It is also best to grade assignments in sequence (i.e., assignment 1, then assignment 2, and so on) so students can apply the feedback from one assignment to the subsequent assignments.
4. Summarize discussion forum conversations, since it can be hard for students to wrap up a discussion and/or cull out the important points before moving on to other discussions!

   Example: Instructor Kay Shattuck provided this great summary of one of her class discussions

   Great job everyone on the first discussion in our course! Already we saw fine examples of sharing of resources, of budding identification of DE topics you would like to investigate further, and of enriching collaboration to help everyone in the group move ahead.

   Several threads emerged over the week:

   - A definition of DE seems to be challenging to nail down, maybe because of the complexity of blended courses. While it might be hard to keep technology in any definition of DE as a component, not the center, we’re reminded that approaching DE as a multifaceted format of education allows us to address the “consequences” of the temporal and physical separation of the learner and the teaching resources system.
   - What's the relationship between learning, teaching, and responsibility? In week 2, you’re exploring some historical roots of DE. You’ll note its strong connection to adult education as it developed to provide access to education for those who did not have access to traditional educational opportunities – those “at the back door” as Wedemeyer would have said. Has the technology boom “opened” up DE to the point where basic notions of “adult learning principles” (go ahead and jump to pages 141-143 in our text) are no longer guiding principles? Lots we can discuss further there!
   - Who has/doesn’t have access to the digital world (Digital Divide) is still a concern. Originally DD was about not having a computer/Internet but it also concerns the limits of access because of skill level.
   - The growth of DE over the past decade is complicated by not new, but surely more visible challenges to traditional educational institutions to the point that they’re increasingly under scrutiny by governmental and accrediting bodies.
   - Some theories relating to interaction among components of DE were touches on. We’ll surely revisit that discussion!

   Enjoy reading/reflecting/discussing the history of DE now in unit 2.

   ~Kay

5. Consider holding online office hours.
   Giving your students a chance to communicate with you in real-time can help build strong relationships and motivate students to fully engage in the class. A few popular options for conducting live office hours with geographically dispersed students are Collaborate, Teams and Zoom. Just let your students know when and how to join your office hours! 

Mid-Semester

Gather mid-semester feedback from your students. Administering a mid-semester evaluation is a great way to see how your class is going from a student perspective. There are several options for gathering this information.

• Create a Blackboard survey where you ask personalized, class-specific questions. See How do I create a survey in my course? for directions.

• Use Course Reports to gauge how students are doing, where they're going in your course and more.

About Two Weeks Before the Semester Ends

Encourage your students to complete the online Course Evaluation.
Research has shown that the biggest influence on whether a student completes an end-of-class survey is the instructor! So a note from you encouraging your students to complete the survey and assuring them that the information will be kept confidential and used to improve the class is essential for a high response rate. 

Example:

"I hope that you will be able to find about 15 minutes to complete the course evaluation survey. We rely upon your anonymous feedback to guide our continuing efforts to make this class worth the time and money you (and in many cases, your employers) invest. Whether your feelings about the class are positive, negative, or mixed, please take a few minutes to let us know. A link can be found on our Blackboard course sidebar."

 

Last Day of the Class (and soon after)

1. Post an end-of-class announcement to wrap-up to the class. Include a final request to complete the Course Evaluation!

2. Handle any deferred grade requests 

3. Remind students to download/print any work they want to keep

4. Post final grades, per institutional policy.

   • See the Faculty Handbook for more

   • Watch your emails for detailed instructions from our registrar.
5. Review and revise your course materials while everything is still fresh in your mind. Will there be a different instructor the next time the course is offered? If so, it is good to meet with that individual now, while thoughts are fresh.