Preparing for the Fall with the OTL

It is hard to believe that the fall term is almost here. Welcome back to Sturm College of Law and to the students and faculty whose classes started Monday, August 16. For those on the quarter system, courses start on September 11. Whether you are excited or exhausted (or a bit of both!) as we approach September, the Office of Teaching and Learning is here to support you as you prepare for, or begin, your fall classes. 

You may be considering how the new fall COVID policies, including the Protocol for Face Coverings and Social Distancing, will affect your classroom. We have prepared sample syllabus statements for the new fall requirements. Please copy, adapt, and edit these samples, including language about masking preferences, attendance requirements, assigned seating, and more. Visit our Sample Syllabus Statements web page for details.

One of the new policies for fall involves the required use of DU's primary learning management system, Canvas, regardless of modality to provide important course materials such as syllabi and assignments. The OTL created a Canvas template that you can import to help you get started. You can also visit our OTL Canvas web page for tips and resources, our Canvas Knowledge Base and the Canvas Help guides for step-by-step instructions, and contact Canvas Help for 24/7 support. 

Need help transitioning or building content in Canvas? You can also book 1:1 time with the OTL Instructional Designers!
CourseMedia is being replaced by ARTstor!

As of this fall quarter, CourseMedia will no longer be available, but we now have access to ARTstor! ARTstor is a database that contains over a million high-quality images that you can access and curate for your courses.

Visit our OTL blog Database Spotlight: The Art of Using ARTstor as well as the Knowledge Base article How to use ARTstor to incorporate images into your course for more information about the features of this database.

University Libraries will also be hosting workshops to help you learn more. Find upcoming workshops on the ARTstor Library Guide, including information about their next workshop:

Friday, September 3, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Online
The OTL is Hiring!

The OTL is looking to expand our team! Please share these positions with your networks.

We are looking to hire work study students to help provide support for projects, events, and administrative tasks. Only students will be able to log-in using the link above, and they may have to search for Office of Teaching and Learning to access the job description.

The person in this position will work with the OTL and Disability Services Program (DSP) to provide training and support to faculty to ensure that course content is accessible.

The Director of SoTL and FLCs will lead and specialize in promoting and implementing multiple faculty learning communities as well as building a culture of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) through both faculty education and support.

Please contact otl@du.edu with any questions.
Tech Tips

Find your Upcoming Courses in Canvas
Are you looking to prepare your fall courses and unable to find them on your Canvas Dashboard? Visit our Ed-Tech Knowledge Base to easily access your courses and add them to your dashboard.


Updating Zoom
Now is also a great time to ensure that you have the most recent version of Zoom and to update if you don't! Visit the Zoom Support Center to learn how to update to the latest version. Then visit our DU Ed-Tech Knowledge Base to learn Zoom tips and tricks, such as best practices for sharing your presentations during a Zoom meeting.
Next week - Visual Literacy Panel

At the University of Denver, faculty have incorporated visual literacy into instructional sessions across multiple disciplines. In this panel, faculty will discuss their research on visual literacy and collaborative sessions, planned and taught with librarians to incorporate visual literacy activities that support their course learning outcomes and goals. Many of these classes are for non-arts disciplines in which students are asked to utilize visual materials and develop visual literacy skills. This workshop will provide ideas and strategies for how to best incorporate visual literacy in your courses.

Wednesday, August 25, 12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
Online

Learn more about the resources, grants, and services that the University Libraries provide by listening to The OTL Podcast: What the Library Can Do for You, hosted by OTL Instructional Designer Jeff Schwartz, and featuring Jenny Bowers, Bridget Farrell, and Peggy Keeran.
Upcoming OTL Events

Monday, August 23, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
OTL Conference Room, Anderson Academic Commons 345

Tuesday, August 24, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Online

Wednesday, August 25, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Online
 
Wednesday, August 25, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Online
 
Monday, August 30, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Online

Monday, August 30, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Online

Tuesday, August 31, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Online

Wednesday, September 1, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Online

Thursday, September 2, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Online

Wednesday, September 8, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Online

Respondus is also hosting several training webinars throughout the month.

Visit our OTL events calendar to discover other events coming up!
Duo Multi-Factor Authentication

Starting August 20, 2021, the University of Denver will require all employees (faculty, adjunct faculty, and staff) to use Duo multi-factor authentication (MFA) with Office 365 applications.

What is Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)?

Duo helps students, faculty, and staff protect themselves and the University against cybercrime. Duo Multi-Factor Authentication enhances security by adding a second layer of authentication to your login. Duo is stronger than a password alone because there are two factors confirming who you are: something you have (such as your phone or device) and something you know (your password).

Users who wish to complete the Duo enrollment in advance of the planned mandatory change can open a ServiceNow Request.

For more information and troubleshooting tips, including how to configure Duo for automatic push notifications, please visit the DU IT website.
Annual Undergraduate Advising Training

Thursday, September 2, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 
Maglione Room (5th floor), Sie Complex

This training is required for FSEM instructors and highly recommended for all faculty advisors of undergraduate students.

At this training on advising, we will discuss the structure of advising and the relevant context that underscores the critical importance of advising relationships at DU. We will introduce some exciting new tools for managing the advising relationship (Inspire) and review the new degree audit (from DegreeWorks), with plenty of time for hands-on practice with these tools and troubleshooting in small groups. (Please bring your own laptop computer.) We will clarify expectations for using these tools in the 2021-2022 academic year. For FSEM instructors, we will cover advising information to help you troubleshoot and collaborate with other resources on campus to address advising questions during Discoveries week, as well as offer suggestions for advising all throughout the first year. Finally, we will review continuing professional development opportunities related to advising and reserve time to answer questions from advisors. Faculty will be paid a $150 stipend for in-person attendance of the entire training.

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.