<aside> <img src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/e5fdcde9-f092-4e74-b2f2-27a03d3f7f2f/np_circle_1841894_F9F9FA.png" alt="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/e5fdcde9-f092-4e74-b2f2-27a03d3f7f2f/np_circle_1841894_F9F9FA.png" width="40px" /> Moving teaching and learning online in a haste and without proper planning and designing is challenging. It is not what effective online education looks like. When you do it now, keep expectations realistic. You are not going completely online, but turning one, two or three weeks into online short-term learning experiences for students. During this time, a lot of new things have to be learned. New habits, new technologies, and the technologies that you are planning on using may experience an increase in use leading to slower performance.

We suggest that you use the technologies that you already use adding perhaps one or two new tools. Do not expect that you will be able to capitalize on several new tools. If you struggle with tech or with Blackboard, ask for help and keep things simple.

Here is our advice for BSS faculty members, who need to move online and teach as soon as possible while still maintaining instructional continuity.

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<aside> 📩 Contact CUL at [email protected]

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Step 1

Begin by getting an overview of upcoming assignments. Can students find the necessary instructions and materials online? Can they hand in assignments online and is it clear to them how to do it? Have deadlines changed due to the new circumstances?

Step 2

It is likely that you normally give students opportunities to practice and get feedback in-class. How will you do it now? Will you give them opportunities to practice skills and competences needed in the next couple of weeks and how will you give them feedback?

• If students have practiced developing their competences through in-class discussions, perhaps they could do that online using Zoom or Blackboard discussion boards. Create an online space for thinking where students can submit their answers to prompts about the preparatory work before they engage in the live class.
• If you normally ask students to answer questions during lectures, you might still use Mentimenter or Blackboard survey or test, and offer feedback on their responses.

Step 3

Now consider the next couple of weeks. What would you have been doing in-class and what would have been the goals of the teaching and learning activities? Keep these goals in mind as they will help you focus on what to prioritize online. If students were meant to present topics in-class, perhaps they can do it instead by writing postings in a discussion board on Blackboard guided by your instructions on how to do it.

Step 4

Then, move on to consider the course materials. It is likely that the materials are already accessible in a digital format and through the course page, but make sure that this is so and offer alternatives if not.

Step 5

Structure the course content on Blackboard in content modules for each week. Each week should comprise all relevant readings, links, activities, and assignments.

View this short video that illustrates how to structure course content on Blackboard

https://vimeo.com/397385759/f8e1006dff

Step 6

Clarify your expectations of the student to help students focus on what is most important

• Write an introductory text or announcement to each week that informs students about what is expected that week, what will take place online and when.
• Spell out what makes a good online contribution, how the contributions are managed by you, and how they relate to the learning goals.
• If students are asked to contribute with postings, check the course page frequently and add comments to students’ contributions. Your contributions signal that you are paying attention which is a motivational factor to students.
• Make sure that the lines of communication are two-ways and communicate to students how you expect the communication to take place.