Resources for Wrapping Up Your Quarter

As we finish up winter quarter and start thinking about spring, the OTL is here to support you. Revisit our blog How Can I Assess Without Finals Week? for resources to consider as you plan for the end of the quarter.

Interested in using LockDown Browser or Respondus Monitor for your Canvas quizzes? First, read our blog Inclusive Use of Proctoring Technology: LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor for tips on using these tools. You can then learn more about Respondus in an upcoming training webinar to help you get started.

When you are ready to start planning for spring, the Roadmap to the Quarter and Teaching Tool Kit will provide helpful guidance.
Congrats to Our OTL Colleagues!

Please join us in congratulating these members of the OTL on their recent presentations:

Dr. Valentina Iturbe-LaGrave, Building Your Inclusive and Humanizing Teaching Toolkit, University of Denver Diversity Summit. Learn more about Valentina's presentation on her Diversity Summit Canvas page.

Dr. Christina Paguyo, Assessing Institutional Culture of Inclusion to Amplify Agency, University of Denver Diversity Summit. Learn more about Christina's presentation on her Diversity Summit Canvas page.

Amelia Gentile-Mathew, 5 Dependable, Trauma-Informed Tips for Student Support (When You're Already Running on Empty), Teaching for Learning (T4L) Conference. Enjoy the video of Amelia's presentation and review the handout to learn more.

Christine Hood, Bridging the Distance: Supporting Rural Math Teachers Through Virtual PLCs, Association of Math Teacher Educators (AMTE).

Accessibility Tip

The OTL is partnering with the Disability Services Program (DSP) to provide accessibility tips you can implement in your courses today! Here is our first tip:

Have you submitted your required coursebooks to the DU Bookstore or directly with your students yet for Spring Quarter 2021? Students who have the accommodation of Alternate Format Text (AFT) need to know the books for their courses in order to place an AFT request with the DSP. Providing students access to this information at the time of registration gives them time to plan for the next term (both academically and financially).

Questions about accommodations? Please visit the DSP website for faculty and staff resources, or email [email protected].
New Canvas Template from the OTL

Created by Lexi Schlosser, Jeff Schwartz, and Dr. Vince Tango, it provides pre-built Canvas modules that are organized, visually appealing, and editable. Each item also provides tips and best practices. Learn more about this template, and how to import it into your courses, in our new blog Eye-Catching, Easy-to-Navigate Canvas Templates.

We have a workshop series throughout the month of March focused on the tools used to create the template, Cidi Labs Design Tools. This suite of Canvas tools greatly expands aesthetic design and course navigation customization options to enhance student experience. Each workshop will include instruction from OTL Instructional Designers, followed by practice time that participants can use to start preparing their courses. Join us for one, some, or all workshops in this series.

Canvas Design Tools Workshop Series:

Navigating, Editing, Creating
Tuesday, March 9, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Introduction to the Multi-Tool Canvas Module Builder
Tuesday, March 16, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Additional Features for Editing
Tuesday, March 23, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Best Practices for Canvas Design
Tuesday, March 30, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Teaching Online: Advanced Practice Starts April 5!

Did you complete the Teaching Online Short Course and now you are hoping to elevate your online teaching even more? Interested in exploring Canvas integrations, active learning techniques, and High-Impact Practices? Then join us for the upcoming session of the Teaching Online - Advanced Practice Short Course!

This self-paced course starts on April 5 and will help you fine-tune your teaching strategies, student engagement, and Canvas skills. You will investigate topics related to multimedia, measuring individual and group learning outcomes, technology that promotes social and cognitive engagement, and more.

Upcoming Events

Teaching and Professional Faculty Tools for Success
Friday, March 5, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Friday, March 19, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Assessment Coaching: How do I Grade on Canvas Using Rubrics?
Friday, March 5, 1:30 - 2:00 p.m.

Heart of Higher Education
Monday, March 8, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 25, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Canvas Coaching: Managing the Gradebook
Wednesday, March 10, 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Ed Tech Workshop - Perusall
Tuesday, March 16, 11:30 - 12:00 p.m.

Canvas Coaching: Transitioning from Quarter to Quarter
Thursday, March 18, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Canvas Coaching: Canvas Clean-Up
Tuesday, March 23, 1:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Law School Webinar with Professor David Thomson
Wednesday, March 24, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Visit our OTL events calendar to discover other events coming up this month!
NCFDD Online 14-Day Writing Challenge Starts March 22!

Join us for the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) 14-Day Writing Challenge! This challenge is online and an opportunity for you to experiment with daily writing, online community, and supportive accountability. It's very simple:

  1. You commit to write every day for at least 30 minutes.
  2. At the beginning of your writing time, you login to our online community, start the timer, complete your writing, and post your progress at the end.
  3. You take 5 minutes to support other writers in your group by commenting on their progress.

If you're up for the challenge, you can sign up by March 17 at the NCFDD website. Those who complete the challenge are eligible for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Email a screen shot of completion to Dr. Virginia Pitts at [email protected] to be entered in the drawing.
Teaching Resources

Build your course in 4 weeks while considering the rhythm of the term with this helpful resources guide.

This tool kit provides practical steps for readying your courses, no matter the modality. From Canvas basics to hyflex considerations, and complete with worksheets to guide you, this toolkit is a great starting point for course planning.

Visit this OTL web page for helpful links to resources such as Canvas guides and Knowledge Base articles organized by task, as well as a video walking you through setting up your Canvas course. These resources can be helpful no matter how you offer your courses this term.

This Knowledge Base article provides helpful tips and tricks you can use as you create pre-recorded videos, lectures, and demonstrations to enhance the asynchronous components of your course. You can also learn more about the various tools you can use to create your videos, such as Zoom and Kaltura.

This web page provides access to the robust virtual services and resources that the Libraries provide along with a host of online services and resources.

Visit our Sample Syllabus Statements webpage for optional statements to help you communicate with students your policies around wearing masks in class, social distancing, attendance and participation, and more. Be sure to reach out to your Dean, Chair, or Director with any questions or for clarification around the use of these statements in your syllabus.