As you prepare for your final exams, consider the following factors...
students studying in the library
CELT Teaching Tip • November 12, 2020
Five factors for success in remote assessment
As you prepare for your final exams, consider the following factors:

  1. Ask yourself: What ways can my students demonstrate what they know? How can I make it more meaningful/authentic? How can I incorporate knowledge creation? 
  2. Consider the impact of proctored exams. Faculty should consider other assessment strategies to adapt to our unprecedented situation, only using proctored exams when no other options work (e.g., due to accreditation rules). For these reasons, we recommend choosing a suitable remote assessment method (e.g., fact sheet, group project, non-traditional essay, Open Book, or "Take-home" Exam, etc.) on the CELT Remote Assessments page.
  3. Communicate clearly with your students. Provide an announcement that contains information about the exam, clarify essential details, using these guiding questions.
  4. Be available. Recognize that students may require your assistance during your exam/assessment period (e.g., what happens if there are technical issues?). In your communication, please provide the most reliable way for them to contact you or technical support.
  5. Remind students about the importance of academic integrity. Continue to promote academic integrity throughout your course; don't forget to prominently place the academic integrity statement at the beginning of the assessment to emphasize responsible behavior.

Are you interested in discovering more remote assessment strategies? Register to attend the ISU Online Learning Community, Nov. 13 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., via Webex form). Join us to hear Dr. Monica Lamm, Associate Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, explains "public exams" in courses while demystifying the design and development of final exams for students (see this Inside Iowa State story). We will also discuss recent Canvas updates and features to accommodate final assessments.

With a joy for teaching,

Sara Marcketti, Director
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Prepare for grade submission on Dec. 9th (2:15 p.m.)

To help with grade submission efficiency, we want to help you best prepare your Gradebook in Canvas now, rather than during finals week. Follow five of the seven steps outlined on the End of Semester Checklist page. Then, finish with the last two steps when you are ready to submit the grades and retain your records.

New required syllabus statement on free expression

Iowa State has adopted a new required syllabus statement to affirm the university's commitment to free expression. The statement, available on the Required & Recommended ISU Syllabus Statements page (and below), was developed in consultation with the Faculty Senate executive board and is to be used verbatim for all Iowa State University courses beginning with the upcoming winter session.

Iowa State University supports and upholds the First Amendment protection of freedom of speech and the principle of academic freedom in order to foster a learning environment where open inquiry and the vigorous debate of a diversity of ideas are encouraged. Students will not be penalized for the content or viewpoints of their speech as long as student expression in a class context is germane to the subject matter of the class and conveyed in an appropriate manner. 
Morrill Hall with upcoming deadlines





no access codes. no physical books. just learning.
Deadlines for faculty enrollment in Immediate Access:
  • Spring Session Deadline: December 1st 
To enroll, contact John Wierson, [email protected]
For technical support or questions contact the ISU team via email [email protected]
Plan ahead to work with Course Reserves to prepare required materials for your winter and spring courses, whether interested in articles & chapters, books, DVDs, or streaming video. Request your materials now via Canvas by following our Course Reserve guides to enable, request items, and use the module. For questions about reserve items, their copyright, or how to use them in Canvas, email Course Reserves at [email protected].
Iowa State University campus with Morrill Hall in the middle
CELT Programming (Nov. 12-Nov. 30)
Find our program listing with descriptions along with the registration information on each corresponding page on CELT’s programming schedule via ISU’s Events Calendar website.
Student Innovation Center's Leadership and Mindset Workshop:
Gen-Z: Teaching in the classroom & beyond, Innovation
with Sara Marcketti, Dec. 4 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)
Generations share the coincidence of birth year grouping, as well as, similar tastes, attitudes, and experiences. From the Silent Generation, to Baby Boomers, to Gen X, to Millennials, these groups experience certain local and global circumstances: economic, technological, and social, that contribute to their (often)-shared characteristics.

Gen-Z, born 1996 to 2012, currently between 8 and 24 years old, number 74 million in the United States. National and international events such as the advancement of technology, issues of violence even within schools, a volatile economy, and social justice movements profoundly influenced the attitudes and behaviors of this generation. Having grown up never knowing a time without smart phones and social media, Gen-Z uses technology as an extension of themselves. This generation is also the most diverse in American history. In this interactive presentation, participants will consider Gen Z attributes and effective means of teaching and interacting with the generational cohort inside and outside of the classroom.

Presented by Sara Marcketti, Morrill Professor (Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management), Director Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. Register to via this webinar registration page.
Plan your winter session professional development
(Dec. 14, 2020-Jan. 22, 2021)
Discover practical ways to incorporate tools in a Canvas course. 30-minute teaching topics held on the following days from 11-11:30 a.m.:
CELT has completed Year 1 of the Inclusive Classroom Training
Senior leadership tasked CELT to “conduct annual training for faculty in each academic department on the importance of and approaches to, creating an inclusive classroom environment” outlined in these ten action steps (PDF). CELT has accomplished Year one of this training, and facilitated 56 academic departmental trainings during 2020. If you (or one of your faculty members) were unable to attend a departmental training, CELT is facilitating university-wide offerings, registration information below.
If you or your faculty have any questions, review the Training FAQ page or email CELT at [email protected].
Where to go for support
Stay up-to-date on the instructional tools
Review CELT's News & Updates for upcoming changes to the ISU-approved learning technologies. Questions? email [email protected].
A red button with a question mark and Help in white writing
For help with Canvas, contact Canvas Support via the ?Help menu in Canvas:
  • Chat with Canvas Support use the live chat tool
  • Ticket support. Open the ?Help menu in Canvas and click Report a Problem
  • 24/7 phone support. Call 515-294-4000 (listen to prompts to connect to Canvas support).
  • Find answers to common questions in the Canvas Instructor Guides.
  • Use the resources in the Canvas @ ISU site.

For technical support, contact the ISU Solution Center:
  • Email [email protected]
  • Call 515-294-4000 and follow the prompts to receive support from Solution Center staff

To receive one-to-one assistance for teaching with technology, contact the CELT Instructional Designers
  • Connect with our CELT instructional designers for support or pedagogical consultations by emailing [email protected]; this will also create a ServiceNow ticket for easy tracking.
  • Additionally, you may wish to contact one of the support units directly. Please note which program, department, or college each unit serves and contact the unit for your area.
Prefer a Print version?
To view the Teaching Tip as a printable document with the web addresses, download the CELT Teaching Tip for November 12, 2020 (PDF) (https://bit.ly/3pnGnmA)