Screen Times: Teaching with Technology

Final exam period for Fall 2020 is December 15-18.  See the Fall 2020 Final Exam Schedule for the specific dates and times according to your class schedule. You may choose alternative projects, papers, or assessments done asynchronously or over a longer window. Some will use publisher assessments, live presentations during class, or even email submissions. Many will use Sakai tools for their final exams or assignments. Regardless of the method, preparation is important, especially for synchronous or timed online exams.

Teaching and Learning with Technology staff are available to support you and your students in the online exam process to discuss your testing strategy and/or Sakai settings:  

• Submit a Teaching and Learning Help Request
• Make a 45-minute Instructional Design 'Bookings appointment’ with Marilyn Dispensa
• Quick Guide: Faculty Guidelines for Creating an Assessment in Sakai (Quiz, Test, Exam)
• Quick Guide: Student Tips for Taking an Exam

1. Test drive the technology and practice teaching hybrid. This is essential. Test the audio from various student positions in the room and online. CFE and TLT have arranged opportunities for test drives and practice sessions. See directly below for next steps to sign up. Sign up deadline extended to noon, Wednesday, December 2.

2. It is easy to over-emphasize participation by students in the room at the expense of those online. Create groups of students across modalities - groups that include students who are in the room and students who are online. Assign a TA or student volunteer to monitor this and prompt inclusion. 

Teaching with some students in the room and others online will present unique challenges. Challenges can be overcome with practice teaching with the classroom tech before classes begin. TLT and CFE have developed a plan to give you an opportunity to do so. The plan has four components, some of which ask you to self-organize: 

1. Job aid. This aid gives simple printed directions to help you with basic hardware and software operations. You may review the Job Aid and video tutorials by accessing the TLT web page. 

2. Test drive. This is a chance for you to try out the technology. You can sign up for a day and time as an individual (unassisted) or in a small group (unassisted or with a request for technical assistance). Details below. 

3. Practice. This is a chance for small groups to practice teaching. Take turns in the roles of instructor, student(s) in the classroom, and student(s) online (e.g., down the hall outside the classroom). These sessions are unassisted. Access the sign up below. 

4. Share Tips & Tricks. Create an online space for all faculty using each room to communicate with one other about what's working and what's not. Do this yourselves (e.g., group email), or TLT can set up a Sakai Forum for you, if you don't know who else is teaching in the space. 

Sign up 

Appointments to test drive and/or practice are available December 4-18. Follow the numbered process below and sign up for a day and time using this form. Contact the CFE with any questions (cfe@ithaca.edu). 

NOTE: Faculty should ensure that they have been COVID tested and cleared for access to campus prior to their dates for a campus visit. Here is the testing coordinator's page: https://www.ithaca.edu/return-to-campus/health-safety-prevention/testing. This will require a bit of planning ahead for those who have been remotely accessing campus for the entirety of the fall semester. The daily screening form, accessed in IC Workflow, should also be submitted for each classroom practice visit.

1. Communicate with other faculty members who will teach in your classroom to form practice groups.

2. Complete this form to request access to the building and room for a specific date and time. Include at least two additional, alternative dates and times that would work. 

3. Indicate on the form whether you need technical assistance. 

4. Complete the form a second time if you are requesting access more than once (e.g., for an individual test drive and a practice session with colleagues). 

Note that because of de-densification in January, this will likely be your only chance to prepare and practice in your classroom before the first week of February. Also please understand that while the Registrar’s Office has made its best attempt to stabilize room assignments, some adjustments may be necessary in January. 

Deb Wuest has been teaching asynchronously online in the summer/winter sessions for more than ten years. We asked Deb to share her favorite asynchronous delivery and assessment strategies, and how she kept students - and herself - on track for the intense, two-week session.

"I am a fan of the asynchronous, low-tech, low-bandwidth approach.  I use short narrated videos on each topic, a variety of videos, self-assessments, and reflective and critical writing. Sakai, VoiceThread, Blogging are the tools I use most.

My favorite assignment, and the students’ as well, is journaling. Students typically complete self-assessment exercises, reflect on their results, and align their results and insights to the chapter readings.   

Keeping students on track begins with understanding that many students take this course in addition to working, spending time with family, managing illness, etc.  Communication is key – deadlines are established to help students complete the work, but also are flexible. 

Multiple, low-value assessments are integrated within the course. I connect with students each day via email and, more and more, with zoom .

Students submit two assessments a day in addition to the readings. I provide specific feedback on each item submitted, time-consuming but valuable in building a personal connection. I strive to return work with personal comments the next day. To me, engaging with students this way lets them know I care about their progress – I’m not about just checking each assignment off. I also give students the opportunity to resubmit -  because it should be about learning, improving, growing, not just about the grade.  I work as hard as the students."