OTL Resources for Navigating Student Absences

Navigating Student Absences in the Transition to Face-to-Face Classes

As we all prepare to return to the classroom after our remote start, you may have some questions about what to do if you have student absences. Visit our updated blog Using Canvas to Navigate Student Absences and our Navigating Student Absences infographic for ideas and resources.

Navigating Student Absences_accessible.png

Then revisit the helpful tips in our Returning to the Classroom handout that will continue to apply this upcoming term. DU is currently in alert level yellow, but please keep monitoring the DU COVID-19 website for the most recent updates.

Don't forget that you can also schedule a 1:1 with an OTL Instructional Designer, or reach out to otl@du.edu with questions.

Check the OTL Events Calendar for more information and to discover other upcoming events!

Student Accommodation Support

As students begin to send their Letters of Approved Accommodations (LOAA) for this term, please consider making an appointment with Ellen Hogan, the Accessibility Technologist for Learning and Instruction. Ellen is happy to answer any questions you may have about implementing accommodations or navigating the Faculty Accommodate Portal. You can book an appointment or email Ellen directly at Ellen.Hogan@du.edu. More information about the student accommodation process can be found in the Faculty Accommodate User Guide and the Disability Services Program Student Handbook.

Heart of Higher Education Resumes Next Week

Join Dr. Paul Michalec for monthly Heart of Higher Ed conversations throughout the term! The Heart of Higher Education is an opportunity to gather as a DU community to share the challenges and opportunities of transcending the institutional, professional and personal choices that tend to separate core identity/integrity from day to day actions. The meetings are open to all faculty (of any rank) and staff (of any title). The first session starts next Wednesday:

Wednesday, January 19, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Hyflex - join us online or in person at Anderson Academic Commons 345

Canvas Coaching Sessions Start Tomorrow!

Canvas Coaching is designed to provide faculty with small group consultation, training, and support with Canvas. The sessions may include demonstrations, activities, and Q&A time. This year, we are intentionally focusing on accessibility in Canvas, whether that be through understanding functionality, universal design, or student accommodations. These sessions will be online, and please register for the sessions you are interested in attending using the links below!

Canvas Coaching: Accessible Course Design

The Canvas Accessibility Checker can be used as you design your Canvas course to ensure accessibility. This Canvas Coaching session will be focused on utilizing the different features of the Canvas Accessibility Checker. We will also share resources and tips for ways to make all material held within the Canvas course more accessible for all students.

Friday, January 14, 12:00 - 12:30 p.m.

Canvas Coaching: New Quizzes and Testing Accommodations

Have you heard about the New Quizzes launch? As of December 1, 2021, instructors have been able to use the functionality of New Quizzes in Canvas. This Canvas Coaching session will be helpful for all faculty members as it will focus on migrating Classic Quizzes to New Quizzes. In addition, we will also cover best practices for implementing testing accommodations using the New Quizzes features.

Tuesday, January 18, 1:30 - 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 19, 3:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Universal Design for Learning - DU Culture of Change

Join us as we embark on a journey to learn about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the three principles behind it, what UDL looks like in your courses regardless of modality, and how the OTL can support your efforts in this growing area.

Tuesday, January 25, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Hyflex - join us online or in person at Anderson Academic Commons 345

Teaching Resources

New: Prepping for Winter Term/Spring Semester

This OTL web page contains important links, resources, checklists, and FAQs to help you as you prepare for this upcoming winter term.

Teaching Tool Kit

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.

Creating Instructional Videos

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 .