Whether you have been teaching for years or you are about to teach your very first semester, making the appropriate preparations will ease the transition for you and your students. The following is a list of strategies that will help you as you prepare your courses. New Semester Checklist Prepare Your Syllabus Whether you're creating from scratch or modifying an existing document, make sure your syllabus is up to date and covers all pertinent information related to your course (objectives, expectations, how work will be evaluated, grading scheme, etc.). Not sure where to begin? Faculty are encouraged to download and modify the UAH Syllabus Template. Access the UAH Syllabus Template Canvas If you do not see a course upon login to Canvas you may need to customize your course list so that your courses appear on your Dashboard. If you would like to cross-list (merge) your courses, please contact support for assistance. Make sure your course is set up properly and published in Canvas. This includes: Downloading the UAH syllabus template and modifying it for your needs. When you’re finished, add it to your course’s Syllabus page in Canvas. Organizing your assignments to be calculated by points or assignment group weights. Enabling a course grading scheme. To adjust/customize your course availability dates follow the steps in this tutorial. Need to reuse content? If you would like to reuse content from a previous Canvas course you may import that content into a new course. NOTE: If you plan to import content from a course that previously used Zoom, please watch this video tutorial first! Run the link validation tool and fix any broken hyperlinks. Delete duplicate or unneeded pages in your course. Update assignment due dates. Other Instructional Technologies (Zoom, Panopto, Turnitin, Respondus) Review the training resources for each technology you plan on using in your course(s). Enable each tool you intend to use in your course(s). Zoom Panopto Turnitin Respondus Include clear instructions on how each tool will be used and post links to student training resources for your students. Classroom Technologies User profiles are deleted from classroom computers between semesters. This means that logging into the computer that you need to present from may take a little longer the first time each term. This is a great reason to visit your classroom(s) before the first day of class. While there: Login to the computer Check out the new control panel camera presets Test drive the technologies you plan on using in your class Report any issues by emailing helpdesk@uah.edu In addition to the computer, projector, and camera technologies, remember that you and your students can make use of our Rocketbook Beacons, the orange triangles in the corners of the whiteboards in UAH classrooms. Anyone with the free app can capture what is written on these whiteboards and have it automatically saved as a pdf in a variety of locations. Download the app today and encourage your students to do so as well to take advantage of this handy tool. Contact immediate support (256.824.7700) if you experience technical difficulties during a class that prevent you from teaching. Training Attend or schedule a training! Enhanced Teaching & Learning Center (ETLC) is pleased to offer open office hours where faculty can ask questions about Canvas and other supported technologies at the beginning of each semester. Special events, trainings, and open office hours are listed on the UAH Events Calendar. In addition to our scheduled trainings, you can contact the Help Desk (256.824.3333; helpdesk@uah.edu) at any time to request appointment with someone on our team or schedule a training for your department. Don't have time for an in-person session? Review our online training offerings at your convenience. Contacting Support Canvas support is available 24/7 via the Help link on the Canvas global navigation menu. Choose from the Email (Report a problem), Phone, or Chat options. Panopto Support is available 24/7 by calling 855.765.2341. Immediate Classroom Support is available by calling 256.824.7700. For other requests, please contact the Help Desk (256.824.3333; helpdesk@uah.edu).
