In the event that you need to teach a course off campus, there are a variety of ways you can complete typical classroom tasks in a virtual environment. Whether due to illness, weather, unanticipated travel delays, or a personal emergency, it’s always a good idea to have a back up plan that minimizes disruption for your students.
The OTL has online resources to help you get started in a virtual classroom environment.
Every instructor has a Canvas shell connected to their course that can be published at any time and provide everything including the syllabus to your course, readings, exams, discussions, and a gradebook. Get started with Canvas here and here. For Canvas questions, the best place to start is with Canvas directly, they provide 24/7 support at 1-833-291-3240. Or, launch Canvas Chat.
You may want to pre-record lectures or have synchronous (live) webinar-style class meetings. No matter where you or your students are, you can use Kaltura or Zoom to bridge a gap in your ability to hold class face-to-face. Even if an in-person class isn’t cancelled but there are students who need to join remotely, you can create a Zoom link that allows students to call in so they don’t miss out. Learn more about getting started with Kaltura and Zoom.
For all our educational technology resources, this is a great jumping off point.
Even if unforeseen circumstances arise, we can make adjustments to minimize negative impacts to our students and keep delivering on the DU promise of faculty-student connections and intellectual engagement.
