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SGSHS Faculty Online Education Resources

Guidelines for effective online instruction

Contact Time: o Course directors and faculty must have an online presence in their Canvas course equivalent to the time

in which the faculty would be present in a traditional face-to-face course. o This will be captured by our Canvas administrators and utilized for both calculation of credit hours and

accreditation reporting. o Click here to view the SGSHS credit hour policy. For example, each 1 credit hour should equal a total of

750 minutes of faculty-directed instruction per term; this is the equivalent of 50 minutes per week for a 15 week term.

Engagement during instruction: o It is strongly encouraged that faculty post lecture PowerPoints with recorded voice-over by using the

record feature in PowerPoint or Big Blue Button. See page 2 for an overview of these tools. See page 3 for resources related to using these tools.

o In addition, tools such as discussion boards or Big Blue Button conferences to host Q&A sessions are very effective for an enhanced learning experience. This also gives students the opportunity to have some “face time” with their faculty instructors.

o See page 6 for the SGSHS Canvas Course Evaluation Checklist. This checklist offers information on how to set up a Canvas course that is engaging and easy to navigate.

Aids for students: o Course directors should set up a practice exam at the beginning of the term, to help familiarize

students with the online testing protocols. o It is recommended that a zero-point essay question be added to all online tests for students to use as

electronic “scratch” paper. Canvas lacks the test markup tools that are present in ExamSoft, and students do not have the capability to use physical scratch paper with Respondus Monitor proctor, thus the zero-point essay question offers a good compromise.

Adherence to these guidelines will help ensure that we maintain our current high-quality instruction in the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences (SGSHS), and that we remain compliant with our accrediting bodies (IHL and SACSCOC).

Thank you for your continued patience and tremendous hard work during this stressful time. Keep up the outstanding work!

-Joey Granger, PhD, Dean, SGSHS -Sydney Murphy, PhD, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, SGSHS -Hanna Broome, PhD, Assistant Dean of Graduate Education, SGSHS

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OVERVIEW OF UMMC ONLINE EDUCATION TOOLS

Canvas – https://umc.instructure.com/

Tips:

Enroll in the “Canvas Features and Updates”

Course:

https://umc.instructure.com/courses/1968727

Uses:

Posting syllabus

Posting lecture PDFs and recordings

Hosting live lectures in “Conferences” menu option, using Big Blue Button

Hosting live conferences for office hours, etc.

Discussion boards for lecture Q&A, etc.

Making announcements to the class

Quizzing/testing – for browser lockdown and/or proctored quizzing/testing, you can activate the Respondus options

Quizzing/polling – can use Nearpod from within Canvas to host a live quiz with your class

FYI: The ‘Quiz’ option in Canvas is what you must use for both a true quiz AND an exam or test. There is not an ‘Exam’ option in Canvas.

Big Blue Button - https://umc.gl.rna1.blindsidenetworks.com/ Tips:

Must use Google Chrome browser

Can access Big Blue Button through either the website above OR through the Conferences menu option in a Canvas course

Uses:

Recording lectures for posting on Canvas

Hosting live lectures from within Canvas, using the “Conferences” menu option in Canvas

Hosting online meetings such as office hours, class discussions, review sessions

Students/participants can enter “break out” rooms for small group assignments/discussion

Can upload presentations, share your screen, share your webcam for face-to-face meetings,

Nearpod - https://nearpod.com/login/?oc=LogInTopNav (log in with Office 365 and your UMMC credentials) Tips:

You must take the training course and then request account activation with DIS.

Enroll in the “Nearpod for Education” Course: https://umc.instructure.com/courses/1969580

Uses:

Host a live quiz/poll either from the Nearpod site, or from inside a Canvas course

If you use it within Canvas, it will integrate with your course roster and gradebook

You can create an “assignment” in Canvas that uses the Nearpod external tool and quiz/poll your class

Host a live presentation where you control the slide advance, not the student

Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor Tips:

Download Respondus software to your PC in order to import exam questions in bulk

See the “Canvas Features and Updates” Canvas course for more information about Respondus download

Uses:

Respondus Lockdown Browser will prevent the student from opening another application or internet window while testing

This Lockdown Browser can be used for either a live-proctored or a fully online exam (proctored by the Respondus Monitor program)

Respondus Monitor uses webcam and microphone to record the student while they test at home

An A.I. program determines whether or not the instructor should review the recorded testing session for academic dishonesty

Respondus software is used to import questions in bulk to a Canvas course ‘quiz’

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Resources for successful online instruction: Enroll in the “Canvas Features and Updates” Course: https://umc.instructure.com/courses/1968727

o This self-paced course has numerous resources on the Gradebook, course communications, Office365 integration, and more.

o See page 6 for the SGSHS Canvas Course Evaluation Checklist.

Enroll in the “Nearpod for Education” Course: https://umc.instructure.com/courses/1969580 o This self-paced course explains how to use Nearpod for synchronized polling – which you can use to take

roll or for quizzing during a live lecture.

How to record lectures in PowerPoint: o https://support.office.com/en-us/article/record-a-slide-show-with-narration-and-slide-timings-

0b9502c6-5f6c-40ae-b1e7-e47d8741161c o The only irrelevant part in this first article is the “Publish the recording to share it with others.” I

recommend File>Export>Create a Video, save in Internet format with narration and slide timings, and save the MP4 file where you want to on your PC. You can then upload the file to Canvas for viewing. The second link below goes more into the details of saving as an MP4 or PPTX file.

o https://support.office.com/en-us/article/turn-your-presentation-into-a-video-c140551f-cb37-4818-b5d4-3e30815c3e83

How to record lectures and host live lectures or meetings with Big Blue Button: o Tutorial videos: https://bigbluebutton.org/html5/. The Moderator/presenter video is very helpful for

instructors. o There are 2 ways to access Big Blue Button at UMMC:

Through a specific Canvas course, using the ‘Conferences’ menu option Directly through https://umc.gl.rna1.blindsidenetworks.com/ using your UMMC credentials to

“Sign In”. o FYI: Access to recorded lectures can take 1-2 hours after you finish recording.

How to manage online testing with Canvas and Respondus 4.0: o You can create quizzes and enable the Lock down browser functionality in Canvas without going through

Respondus 4.0 software. However, you must create questions one at a time using this format. o Respondus 4.0 software is useful if you want to import a question bank from a rich text (RTF) file to

Canvas. See page 4 for instructions on how to download the software. o See page 5 for Respondus setup info you can provide to your students. o Tutorial videos:

Importing questions into Respondus 4.0 software: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKfQnu8hpYM

Publishing questions to Canvas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3la3JEZnzgo Creating and formatting questions in Respondus 4.0:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avjt3R8r62k

For additional resources, please visit the Office of eCampus COVID-19 Response Teaching Resources website.

Please email us with any questions or for additional assistance with using these tools in your online instruction. -Sydney Murphy, PhD, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, SGSHS smurphy@umc.edu -Hanna Broome, PhD, Assistant Dean of Graduate Education, SGSHS hjbroome@umc.edu

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How to Install Respondus 4.0 Software:

University of Mississippi Medical Center has obtained a campus-wide license for the Respondus software. Respondus is a Windows application that enhances the functionality and usability of Canvas exam and survey tools. For a product description and complete list of features, visit www.respondus.com

You can obtain a copy of the Respondus software by downloading it from this link. You will be required to login to you UMC OneDrive to retrieve the download file.

During the installation process you will be asked to enter the name of the institution, the local support contact, and the installation password. The information must be entered EXACTLY as follows:

Institution Name: University of Mississippi Medical Center

Installation Password: Y2007I355116900Ref59d900b35c5290 (Password valid through: July 2020)

We recommend that you accept the default settings for where the program is installed.

It is important to note that you are not able to download the software directly from the Respondus

website, nor are you able to use the password listed above to activate a copy previously downloaded

from their site.

Context-sensitive help is available throughout the Respondus program by pressing the F1 key. It is also

available by selecting "Help" from the pull-down menu on the toolbar. A copy of the Respondus User

Guide (in Word/WordPad format) can be downloaded from

http://www.respondus.com/products/userguide.shtml

If you have questions or problems using the Respondus software, you should first consult the online

help or Respondus User Guide. If you are still unable to resolve your problem, on campus support can

be obtained from the two persons listed ABOVE or at the UMC Helpdesk, email: ServiceDesk@umc.edu.

Our license with Respondus, Inc. does NOT permit instructors to obtain support directly from

Respondus, Inc. If our staff is unable to solve a particular question or problem, we will contact

Respondus, Inc. on your behalf.

Our license DOES permit you to install a copy of the Respondus software on a home computer. However,

please note that you are not permitted to provide the Respondus software or the password information

to anyone who is not affiliated with our institution. Such an action is a violation of our licensing

agreement with Respondus and is also illegal.

We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity and that you find the Respondus software useful.

Local Support Contact(s):

David Fowler dfowler@umc.edu

Teresa Walter twalter@umc.edu

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Respondus Instructions for Students:

Good afternoon students,

This course requires the use of Respondus LockDown Browser for online exams in Canvas – this will replace Examsoft(Examplify) for laptop testing. Lockdown Browser requires that your computer have a fuctional webcam. The webcam can be built into your computer or can be the type that plugs in with a USB cable. Watch this short video to get a basic understanding of LockDown Browser and the webcam feature. A student Quick Start Guide is also available.

Then download and install LockDown Browser from this link: https://download.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?id=355116900

After installing, do the following to ensure LockDown Browser and the webcam are set up properly:

Start LockDown Browser, log into Canvas, and select this course {INSERT YOUR COURSE NAME HERE}.

Locate and select the Help Center button on the LockDown Browser toolbar. Run the Webcam Check and, if necessary, resolve any issues. Run the System & Network Check. If a problem is indicated, see if a solution is provided in the Knowledge

Base. Troubleshooting information can also be emailed to our institution's help desk.

Guidelines for taking an online exam that requires LockDown Browser and a webcam:

Ensure you're in a location where you won't be interrupted Turn off all other devices (e.g. tablets, phones, second computers) and place them outside of your reach Clear your desk of all external materials not permitted — books, papers, other devices Before starting the test, know how much time is available for it, and that you've allotted sufficient time to

complete it Remain at your computer for the duration of the test If the computer or networking environment is different than what was used previously with the Webcam

Check and System & Network Check in LockDown Browser, run the checks again prior to starting the test To produce a good webcam video, do the following:

o Avoid wearing baseball caps or hats with brims o Ensure your computer or tablet is on a firm surface (a desk or table). Do NOT have the computer on

your lap, a bed, or other surface where the device (or you) are likely to move o If using a built-in webcam, avoid tilting the screen after the webcam setup is complete o Take the exam in a well-lit room and avoid backlighting, such as sitting with your back to a window

Remember that LockDown Browser will prevent you from accessing other websites or applications; you will be unable to exit the test until all questions are completed and submitted.

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Canvas Course Evaluation Checklist

This updated version of the Course Evaluation Checklist now includes the top 10 Foundational items and linkages to

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, and applies pedagogical best practices to help Canvas users elevate the

quality of Canvas courses.

How To Use: The legend within each header references what type of criterion is demonstrated. A ★ (1-star) rating indicates

an Essential and standard design component to online learning (including the top 10 Foundational items); a ★★ (2-star)

rating is considered Best Practice and adds value to a course; and a ★★★ (3-star) rating is Exemplary and elevates

learning.

Course Information ★ Essential ★★ Best Practice ★★★ Exemplary

Yes ✔ Criteria

❏ ★ Foundational

Home Page provides visual representation of course; a brief course description or introduction; clear instructions for students (e.g., where to begin) and quick and easy navigation to current content.📍UDL 2.5

Illustrate through multiple media

❏ ★ Foundational

Course Navigation is clear and consistent (unused items are hidden). Canvas Guide - Navigation Links📍Mobile Design Consideration📍UDL 7.3 Minimize threats and distractions

❏ ★ Foundational

Instructor has provided key learning information such as goals, learning objectives and/or standards as well as course materials, supplemental textbooks, and reading lists.📍UDL 8.1 Heighten salience of goals and

objectives

❏ ★ Foundational

Instructor has provided class expectations such as participation rules, etiquette expectations, code of conduct; policies for grading, late work and make-up work; and technology requirements.

❏ ★ Foundational

Instructor has provided contact information which may include biography, availability information, communication preferences, response time, and picture.

❏ ★ Course card provides visual representation of the subject by adding an image in Course Settings. Canvas Guide - Add Image to Course Card📍UDL 2.5 Illustrate through multiple media

❏ ★

Course contains information and links to institutional resources (e.g. library, institutional services, school’s website).

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Course Content ★ Essential ★★ Best Practice ★★★ Exemplary

Yes ✔ Criteria

❏ ★ Foundational

Copyright law is followed. Course breaks no copyright considerations. Canvas Guide - Copyright Resources

❏ ★ Foundational

All links, files, videos and external URLs are active and working. Canvas Guide - Link Validation

❏ ★ Learning activities include student-student interaction to foster a sense of community (e.g. discussions, constructive collaboration and peer reviews).📍UDL 8.3 Foster collaboration and community

❏ ★ Learning activities include student-teacher interaction (e.g. teacher is actively engaged in authentic conversations and provides quality feedback).📍UDL 8.3 Foster collaboration and community

❏ ★ Learning activities include student-content interaction (e.g. students interact with engaging content and resources) and provide opportunities for self-assessment.📍UDL 8.3 Foster collaboration and community ↠ UDL

9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection

❏ ★ Content is "chunked” into manageable pieces by leveraging modules (e.g. organized by units, chapters, topic, or weeks). Canvas Guide - Modules📍Mobile Design Consideration📍UDL 3.3 Guide information processing,

visualization, and manipulation

❏ ★★ There is a “Welcome” or “Let’s Get Acquainted” discussion designed to build a sense of community and establish rapport.📍UDL 8.3 Foster collaboration and community

❏ ★★ Personalized learning is evident through opportunities for student choice.📍UDL 7.1 Optimize individual choice

and autonomy

❏ ★★ Modules and items within modules have a thoughtful naming convention (e.g. name the module “Chapter 1: Pandas in the News,” not just “Chapter 1”).📍UDL 2.2 Clarify syntax and structure

❏ ★★ Modules begin with an Introduction/Overview page and end with a Conclusion/Summary page to “bookend” each module.📍UDL 3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge

❏ ★★ Text headers and indention are included within modules to help guide student navigation. Canvas Guide - Add Text Header📍Mobile Design Consideration📍UDL 2.2 Clarify syntax and structure

❏ ★★★ Opportunities for course feedback are present and available to students throughout the duration of course. Instructor uses formal and informal feedback to improve subsequent course revisions.

❏ ★★★

External tools (e.g., Quizlet, Khan Academy, Padlet, Nearpod, CK-12) are relevant to course content and support active learning techniques.📍UDL 5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition

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Assessment of Student Learning ★ Essential ★★ Best Practice ★★★ Exemplary

Yes ✔ Criteria

❏ ★ Foundational

Detailed instructions are clearly written to ensure understanding to support student actions.📍UDL 4.2

Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies

❏ ★ Foundational

A variety of assessments is used (e.g., discussions, individual and/or group assignments and quizzes) to increase learner engagement and promote active learning.📍UDL 4.1 Vary the methods for response and

navigation

❏ ★ Low-stakes (formative) assessments occur frequently throughout the course to measure knowledge, skills and attitude and occur before high-stakes assessments.

❏ ★ High-stakes (summative) assessments are clearly aligned with stated goals, learning objectives and/or standards.

❏ ★ Assessments include option for instructors to use SpeedGrader to score and provide prompt and high-quality feedback. Canvas Guide - SpeedGrader📍UDL 8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback

❏ ★★ Sample assignments are provided to illustrate instructor expectations.📍UDL 5.3 Build fluencies with graduated

levels of support for practice and performance

❏ ★★ Rubrics used to evaluate assignments and/or discussions. Canvas Guide - Rubrics

❏ ★★★ Canvas Outcomes are tied to assessments. Canvas Guide - Outcomes 📍UDL 8.1 Heighten salience of goals and

objectives

Course Accessibility ★ Essential ★★ Best Practice ★★★ Exemplary

Yes ✔ Criteria

❏ ★ Foundational

Web tools and/or software are utilized to identify and correct accessibility issues within the course (e.g. Accessibility Checker.) Canvas Guide - Accessibility Checker📍UDL 7.3 Minimize threats and distractions

❏ ★ Accommodation Statement is present and easily located (e.g., on Home Page or Syllabus).📍UDL 4.2

Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies

❏ ★ Color enhances the aesthetic appeal and effectiveness of the course; sufficient contrast between text and background makes information easy to read; and color is not used in isolation to convey meaning. Canvas Guide - Accessibility Checker📍UDL 7.3 Minimize threats and distractions

❏ ★ Images are used to support course content (e.g., banners, headings and icons) and accompanied by text descriptions (Alt text) or captions for more complex descriptions. Canvas Guide - General Accessibility Design Guidelines📍UDL 1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information

❏ ★ Styles (e.g. Paragraph, Heading 2, etc.) are used to format text. Canvas Guide - General Accessibility Design Guidelines📍UDL 4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies

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❏ ★

Hyperlink text incorporates the hyperlink destination/purpose (avoid raw URLs, e.g., https://www.canvaslms.com) and includes words and phrases to provide context for screen-readers (e.g., use “Canvas Guide - Hyperlink” rather than “Canvas Guide”). WebAim - Introduction to Links and Hypertext📍UDL 4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies

❏ ★ Audio materials (mp3, wav, etc.) are accompanied by a transcript and videos / screencasts are closed-captioned. Canvas Guide - Create Caption Files📍UDL 1.2 Offer alternatives for auditory information

❏ ★★ Tables are used appropriately and are accessible. WebAim - Creating Accessible Tables📍Mobile Design

Consideration

Additional Resources Baldwin, S., Ching, Y.-H., & Hsu, Y.-C. (2018). Online course design in higher education: A review of national and statewide

evaluation instruments. TechTrends, 62(3), 46-57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-017-0215-z

Baldwin, S., & Ching, Y.-H. (2019). Online course design: A review of the Canvas course evaluation checklist. International

Review of Research in Open & Distributed Learning, 20(3), 268-282. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v20i3.4283

Best practices for building Universal Design principles into your Canvas courses. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.sfu.ca/canvas/instructors/universal-design/building_udl_into_canvas.html

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Moore, E. (2017, October 16). Implementing Universal Design for Learning on Canvas. Retrieved from

https://community.canvaslms.com/groups/designers/blog/2017/10/16/implementing-universal-design-for-learning-

on-canvas

Online Course Best Practices Checklist. (2012). Retrieved from https://www2.palomar.edu/poet/BestPracticesChecklistSP1

Contributors Deonne Johnson, Ph.D., Team Lead, Consultants, Instructure Erin Keefe, Principal Consultant, Instructure

Lily Philips, Team Lead, Instructional Design, Instructure

Michelle Lattke, Senior Manager, Learning & Strategy, Instructure

Tom Gibbons, Trainer, Instructure

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

This document has been modified by the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Graduate

Studies in the Health Sciences administrators, according to this Creative Commons license.