February 2026

DE Monthly Newsletter Header
 

In This Issue...

 
  1. Distance Education Spotlights
    1. Mission Accessible Lunch & Learn
    2. Digital Accessibility Resources
    3. Reminder: Submit Your RSI Forms
  2. TechBytes
    1. Spring 2026 Schedule
    2. Closing the Loop: Effective Academic Feedback Strategies in D2L
  3. Quality Matters: Excellence in Course Design
  4. AOQF
    1. Become an AOQF Peer Reviewer
    2. AOQF Course Submission Dates
  5. Instructional Technology Tool Updates
    1. NEW: Honorlock Session Viewer
    2. Actions to Perform After a Course Copy
    3. Zoom Access Ending
  6. Distance Education Support Desk
 

Distance Education Spotlights

 
 

    Mission Accessible Lunch & Learn

 
Mission Accessible is a event where faculty can join the Instructional Design Team for drop-in digital accessibility assistance & lunch! There will be two sessions held from 11:00-1:00 on February 16 and 17 in the Morgan University Center room 310. Users can click anywhere on the announcement to register.
 

    Digital Accessibility Resources

 
In light of the upcoming changes to ADA, Distance Education has created the following helpful resources to support the shared effort to meet federal regulations: (1) The newly updated Digital Accessibility Basics pages on our website provide a brief introduction to digital accessibility, the most common concerns, and handy resources, (2) A new four-part video series on the Basics of Digital Accessibility that includes practical approaches to accessibility in Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and D2L. To access these amazing resources, head over to our digital accessibility pages. Coming Soon—Keep an eye out for the NEW asynchronous Accessibility Essentials certificate that will be available for Faculty and GTAs in D2L later this Spring
 

    Reminder: Submit Your RSI Forms

 
Submit your Spring 2026 RSI forms to Watermark for each online or hybrid course you are teaching. Visit the RSI Webpage for additional information.
 

TechBytes

 
 

    Spring 2026 Schedule

 

Distance Education is excited to offer practical, engaging sessions this spring through TechBytes.  View all sessions on our TechBytes page.

An image of a flyer stating,”TECHBYTES: Tech-inspired tips and tricks in byte-sized chunks hosted by APSU Distance Education. SPRING 2026 Schedule. 11:30 am - 12 NOON. January 15, Barnes & Noble First Day 101: How Course Materials Work in D2L. February 5, Closing the Loop: Effective Academic Feedback Strategies in D2L. February 12, Grammarly: Exploring the Latest Features for Improved Writing (Vendor Session). March 5, TBA. April 9, Concourse Syllabus: Faculty Essentials for Streamlined Syllabus Management. 931-221-6625. Zoom Registration
 

    Closing the Loop: Effective Academic Feedback Strategies in D2L

 
A flyer including images of two people and the TechBytes logo with the text “Tech-inspired tips and tricks in byte-sized chunks hosted by Distance Education. Closing the Loop: Effective Academic Feedback Strategies in D2L. This presentation provides an in-depth look at feedback mechanisms in D2L Brightspace. Key points include: Overview of Gradebook, Assignments, Quizzes, and Quick Eval tools; How to create, manage, and release feedback; Ensuring feedback visibility and accessibility for students; Best practices for delivering timely and effective feedback; Enhancing student learning and instructional efficiency. Rachel Carroll, LMS Administrator. Loretia Duncan, Senior Instructional Designer. Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 11:30 am - 12 noon on Zoom. Register Now. 931-221-6625. online@apsu.edu. www.apsu.edu/online.”
 

Quality Matters 

 
A black announcement graphic celebrating Quality Matters certification for Dr. Ruby Baker’s courses, CRJ 3030 and NSS 3420. A red badge icon appears above his name and course numbers, with congratulatory text highlighting the course’s addition to the QM-certified directory.
 
 

AOQF 

 
 

     Become an AOQF Peer Reviewer

 
Interested in becoming an AOQF Peer Reviewer? For completing three accurate and timely AOQF course reviews, earn $500 in travel funds, professional development funds, and extra compensation. To be eligible, you must have completed APPQMR, taught an online class in the last year, and completed the AOQF Peer Reviewer Workshop in D2L. Submit your application to become a peer reviewer today!
 

     AOQF Course Submission Dates

 
If you plan on submitting a Spring 2026 course to be peer reviewed through the AOQF program, please follow these course review submission deadlines: Spring A – February 6th, Full Spring – March 6th, Spring B – April 10th. Please visit our AOQF webpage for more information, including details on how to become a peer reviewer.
 

Instructional Technology Tool Updates

 
 

NEW: Honorlock Session Viewer

 
Graphic announcing the new Honorlock Session Viewer, highlighting banners for trying the new version, sending feedback, and reverting to the original interface..”

Explore Honorlock’s new Session Viewer, built to make reviewing student sessions easier!

When you open a recorded session, you will see a banner inviting you to try the updated viewer. After switching to the new view, we encourage you to share your feedback so Honorlock can continue improving the experience. If you prefer, you can return to the original viewer at any time. Try it out!

 

Actions to Perform After a Course Copy

 
Infographic outlining three required steps after copying a D2L course: activate LockDown Browser and confirm advanced settings, re-enable Honorlock exams, and verify Turnitin assignments by using the Re Enable option if prompted.
 

Zoom Access Ending

 
Zoom – Access Ends December 2026; Start exploring Microsoft Teams; Clean out Zoom recordings and whiteboards; Move academic recordings to D2L Media Library
 
 

DE Support Desk

 
Distance Education Support Desk: email us at online@apsu.edu
 

STAY CONNECTED WITH APSU DISTANCE EDUCATION!

 
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