Getting your Head Around the Fall

I’m thinking about the fall, and trying to help you prepare for the complex situation that each of you will face in different ways. I’ve included organizing questions, a checklist of skills/tools to  help you gauge your readiness, and links to training/resources for each. Hopefully this framework can help you move forward over the summer towards a more peaceful fall.

Organizing Questions

What delivery model will you choose  for Fall?

Fall Delivery Modes

• • • • Covid-Considerations
        • In-Person
        • Remote-Synchronous
        • Remote Asynchronous
        • Mixed-Mode

Details Fall Delivery Modes

1. What skills/tools do you need to successfully teach in the model you’ve chosen?
2. Where can you pick up information or training that you need?
3. How will you prepare to continue delivering your course to students who are ill or quarantined?
4. How will you handle the post-November cut-off when remote learning begins for all?
5. How will you handle your final exams remotely?
6. How will you handle attendance (for possible contact tracing)?
7. Do you have a plan/training if the University has to go remote again on short notice?

CHECKLIST

To help you prepare for any possibility, I would suggest using the following as a checklist for your own preparation for the fall. These are skills/tools in your tool belt that will help you navigate what’s ahead and have the most flexibility in any given scenario:

1. CANVAS 
2. 1. Creating modules in a logical manner to hold content
   2. Uploading files and linking to websites
   3. Creating dropboxes (Assignments) to collect student work and grade it
   4. Setting up and using your Gradebook
   5. Quizzing/assessments in Canvas
   6. Discussions
   7. Communicating with your students (Canvas messaging with Canvas Conversations,  Announcements, and Notifications)
   8. Linking out to video resources (stored in Zoom, Kaltura My Media, or Box)

2. ZOOM 

2. 1. Can you sign in so you are the Host of the meeting
   2. Can you link to your personal meeting ID in Canvas OR can you use the Zoom tool in Canvas to schedule your semester meetings
   3. Can you find your Zoom dashboard (zoom.psu.edu) and have the appropriate settings turned on for your needs (recording, screen sharing, annotations, feedback tools, polling)
   4. Do you understand the security settings on Zoom to manage Zoom bombing or other security/classroom management issues
   5. Can you create a recording using Zoom
   6. Can you close caption your recordings (using Kaltura) for students with disabilities
   7. Can you find your recordings and make them available to your students in Canvas

3. RECORDING LECTURES AND CLOSED CAPTIONING

3. 1. Can you use University-approved tools (Zoom, Kaltura, Voicethread, Teams, etc.) to record lectures AND close caption them for later viewing (for remote asynchronous sessions or students who are absent or quarantined).
   2. Close captioning videos falls under federal accessibility law and is a necessary part of the process. Luckily, it is now a pretty easy process! Kaltura training will show you how to do this (for Zoom and Kaltura videos)

4. ADDITIONAL ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION

4. 1. I HIGHLY recommend doing some accessibility training this summer to make sure that the content you are sharing is accessible to all students. Things like making sure that electronic documents are readable by screen readers, close captioning is in place for videos, images in web pages and documents have alt-text information available for screen readers, tables are properly set up for screen readers, good contrast exists between background and text, etc.)

5. ENGAGING STUDENTS IN REMOTE AND ONLINE LEARNING – Click on the link to see  resources and recordings from the Spring 2020 sessions. Stay tuned for a repeat of the series later in summer
6.  GETTING TRAINING
   Training for all these tools and asynchronous online self-paced options can all be found at this link:
   http://itld.psu.edu/training/canvas-kaltura-and-zoom-resource-enabling-continuity-instruction
7. GETTING HELP
   Of course, you can always reach out to me, but if I’m swamped, you might have to wait. If your question is DESIGN-related, contact me. If your question is about HOW something works, or if something isn’t working right, then reach out to these resources below:

* our local IT Helpdesk – 717-771-4080
* University-level resources
* Chat: Start Online Chat with IT Service Desk Live chat is available 24-7 for authenticated students, faculty, and staff.
* Phone: 814-865-HELP (4357)
* Email: ITservicedesk@psu.edu
* Canvas Help: Use the contacts above or use the following:
* Canvas Guides (Faculty)
* Canvas Guides (Students)
* Click on the “?” icon on the left side of the page (in Canvas) to access chat and 24/7 phone support