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COLTT recommends beginning with these tasks to ensure a smooth transition as you move your course online.
1. Contact Your Students
Once the official notification has been sent out by the university, we recommend contacting your students via a Blackboard announcement to notify them of the following:
- To print/download the Course Syllabus
- Your preferred contact method (Email, Blackboard Course Messages, Phone)
- How the coursework will continue
- Suggest them to download the Blackboard Mobile App
Questions to Consider:
- Will students work independently via Blackboard or synchronously via Blackboard Collaborate or Zoom?
- Did you have assignments scheduled during the closure period? If so, do you plan on making any revisions?
- How will you be communicating with students? Let your students know how you will be contacting them so they know where to check for updates.
2. Create a Schedule
Depending on the closure, courses may be online for a significant amount of time. It is important to create a revised course schedule that includes if and when you'll be meeting synchronously online, when assignments will be due, and what the overall expectations are. It is important to post this document so that students will know exactly what they need to do during the closure.
3. Upload Course Content
Begin uploading course content to Blackboard such as PowerPoints, readings, recorded lectures, etc. All courses contain a "Course Materials" folder where content can be uploaded. If you prefer a more organized structure, folders can be created to represent each class day or week.
4. Consider Assessments
The online-teaching period is an opportunity to evaluate how to meet your learning objectives for your class. While we see the Syllabus as a contract it is possible to make adjustments. The important thing to do is to be transparent in the communication with our students as well as to be clear as to what changes are made. For some ideas on assessments please visit Continuity Online Assessment Options.
5. Address Accessibility
It is important to identify if you have students that require specific accommodations. Check with Student Accessibility Services on any specific accommodations you need to keep in mind if you have a student with disabilities in your course.
