Keeping a strong online presence

After making a plan, this is probably the second most important thing to do when planning a resilient, flexible class for fall. What does this look like? 

1. Publish your Canvas course on the first day, including the same things you’ve had in previous quarters, such as the syllabus, instructions for accessing publisher web materials, etc. 
2. Keep your course up to date, every day, so that you’re ready for a quick change of circumstances. Post in-class handouts, readings, assignments, and feedback there. 
3. Have students submit assignments on Canvas. For in-class activities such as response papers, exit tickets, etc., set up the Canvas assignments anyway. Remote students can use that, and you’ll have the gradebook column there for returning grades and feedback. 
   • Submitting assignments in Canvas
4. Record your on-campus classes, especially if you lecture. Do it for every class, because that’s easier than remembering whether someone is absent, or quarantined, or trying to figure that out mid-quarter when everything is a scramble. (Bonus: Students really, really, like having the recordings available when studying for exams.) There are two ways to do this: record classes straight into Panopto, or record using Zoom and then have the recordings sent to Panopto.
   • Adding Panopto recordings to your Canvas course Links to an external site.
   • Recording using Panopto Links to an external site. 
   • Using the Zoom-Panopto integration
   • Getting started with Zoom at Highline
   • Other ways to record and upload Zoom sessions

Prep students for accessing online resources

While students may expect most of the work to happen in the face-to-face portion of the class, make sure they’re ready to participate in the online or Zoom portions of the class as well. 

1. Set clear expectations for technology needs for the class. Include what type of access, how often they need to check in, and what work will be online. 
2. Each class, each week, be very clear about what students are expected to do online. This is one of the hardest challenges of teaching a hybrid class; students don’t perceive the online work as important, or don’t get it done. Emphasize the importance of that. 
   • Hybrid Courses: What's Online and What's Not?
   • What about the virtual/Zoom part of my course?
3. Provide technology access information to students. ITS will have a variety of ways for students to access computers, including some laptop checkout and open hours in the Building 30 open lab. 
   
   • To check out a laptop, students should fill out a request form 
4. Have students complete a short assignment that requires them to use Canvas. For instance, have them take a short quiz on the syllabus, or submit a short document where they explain what their plan is if they have to be remote for a week of class.