Environment: Faculty that has questions about transitioning to online learning
Purpose: Answering common questions that are asked about the transition to online learning
Some things to keep in mind in your transition to online classes:
Do I have a webcam?
Most institutionally-owned computers have webcams. If you do not have a webcam, consider purchasing one.
Am I able to connect to the Internet at home?
We understand that some faculty and staff (and students) live in areas where Internet is spotty. Ensure that you have a plan for connecting to and reaching your students.
Do I have an updated class list that includes student emails?
Ensuring that you have an updated class list will allow you to contact students via email should you need to. You can communicate with students in Moodle through a variety of methods. The participant list can be exported for use. Additionally, a list of student emails is also available in the "Faculty_Class_List_Lookup" report in X Reports. This list can be copied and pasted the "BCC" field in Outlook to send a class email.
In the event that on-campus exams are cancelled, am I able to switch to a take home exam or assignment?
We encourage those faculty that can switch to open-book, take home exams or assignments to do so. Technical examinations requiring Moodle and online proctoring will take priority. Please remember that OMR tests will not be accessible in the event of university closure. Ensure that you are familiar with Moodle quizzing should you require a multiple choice exam.
Will I be able to deliver class materials via video conferencing and do I have enough tech familiarity to do so?
StFX IT Services is offering a number of products for web conferencing and screen recording: Collaborate, Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint and Screencast-O-Matic. Please be sure to test each product before beginning your class.
Is there a way to manage office hours remotely?
Yes. You can manage office hours easily using Microsoft Teams, Collaborate or Microsoft Bookings. Alternatively, you can also tell students that you will be available via email during a specific time interval.
What about students that do not have access to reliable Internet? Is there consideration for those that live in areas where connections are not that good?
Consider providing students with limited Internet access with alternate means of completing their courses. We recommend you determine which students have unreliable Internet and work with them on a case-by-case basis.
What are my options if students are spread across different time zones?
The best option for this is to record your classes using Microsoft Teams, Collaborate, PowerPoint or Screencast-O-Matic and post recorded lectures to Moodle.
What is the difference between Microsoft Teams, Collaborate, Screencast-O-Matic, Zoom, and recording with PowerPoint?
Teams and Collaborate both enable file sharing, meeting, scheduling meetings, sending chat messages and recording all in one platform. Screencast-O-Matic is intended for recording a lecture then posting it online. With Screencast-O-Matic, you can record a number of screens including your presentation, yourself via webcam, and a web browser. By contrast, recording with PowerPoint is simply adding sound to a PowerPoint presentation; you cannot share any other part of your screen except for the presentation. Zoom is for both live, synchronous classes and recordings.
Can I ask students to scan their written work and send it as a PDF?
Yes. Scanning apps exist on Apple and Android phones. If this is not possible for many students, they can simply take a picture of their work and email it in to you.
I would like to post videos to Moodle. Can I do so?
Posting videos to Moodle can be problematic since videos tend to take up a lot of space. Here's a few things to think about:
- Is the video already available elsewhere? If the video you need is on YouTube, you can post the video's URL on Moodle.
- Post the video via OneDrive link.
I have created an exam on Moodle and set the date and time of the exam - does the time reflect Atlantic time?
Yes, if a quiz or exam opens at 9 am, this refers to 9 am Atlantic time. Students living in the Eastern time zone will have their quiz begin at 8 am.