Leveraging Canvas and NSU Software in the Online Classroom

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There was an excellent article recently on Faculty Focus by Tracey A. Carter, Student Engagement in the Online Classroom: Eight Quick Tips to Spark Students’ Learning. I would like to touch on these tips and give some examples of how you can put these tips to use with the common software and tools in use at NSU. 

 

Provide Lecture Outlines 

Outlines are useful to students for a straightforward breakdown of what they are about to learn. As professors there are several ways to make outlines available to your students, here are a few suggestions:

  1. Upload a Word or PDF document to your course and link the document in a page as part of your weekly or topical course modules.
  2. Present the document in your Zoom meeting, linking to it in your Zoom chat prior to starting. 
  3. Develop a short video that can be watched prior to starting your lecture. Videos can be uploaded to SharkMedia and embedded into a page accessible prior to the start of the lecture content. 

Use Pre-course Videos and Subject Matter videos Constructively 

Using software, you can record your webcam, your computer screen or both and create a short introductory video to the course or weekly modules. Recording videos is as easy as downloading the SharkMedia Kaltura Capture application. Kaltura Capture can automatically connect to your SharkMedia account and store your recorded videos in your video library, making them easy to embed in a page within your course. 

  1. Record and embed introductions, talking points or lectures using SharkMedia Kaltura Capture 
  2. Embed external videos from YouTube or Vimeo (keep in mind Copyright material) 

If you are interested in filming professional quality video content for your course, please reach out to our Digital Media Team by emailing LECinfo@nova.edu. 

Use Lecture in Bursts 

Zoom meetings are draining, especially in long, drawn out presentations or lectures. Break up the monotony whenever possible, insert student discussions or assignments to keep students attentive and engaged. Here are a few tips to break up the monotony: 

  1. Use Zoom breakout rooms to encourage student discussion for portions of a lecture. 
  2. Use Polls to break up your session. 

Have PowerPoint and Other Resources Ready 

All NSU faculty has access to Office 365, which means you can install the Office software, as well as access to all Office applications online. Additionally, Canvas allows you to upload files to your course. 

  1. Make sure your files are ready and available for your session. You can use Office 365 to create and access your OneDrive documents, or upload files directly to your Canvas course. 
  2. Check bookmarked websites to make sure they are available and loading properly. 

Poll While You Lecture 

It is important with online courses to periodically assess students and keep up awareness. Zoom has a built-in polling tool, but you can also prepare Poll Everywhere ahead of time. 

  1. Use the Zoom built-in polling tool 
  2. Create and post a PollEverywhere link in chat 

Post Shared Notes 

You can share notes, create collaborations using Office 365 Word, Excel or PowerPoint files, use Office OneNote to create class notebooks, or use external collaboration tools such as Google Docs. 

  1. Post links to shared notes in a Zoom chat, or upload them to your course files 
  2. Create Office 365 Collaborations 

Plan Scheduled Breaks for Student Interactions 

Use some time during your meeting for discussions of hot topics, recent projects or assignments. 

  1. Ask students to speak on an issue, one at a time. 
  2. Give sharing permissions to students to allow them to share content. 
  3. Use Zoom breakout rooms, which you can pop in and out of for feedback and personal interaction. 

Have Fun and Prepare to Engage Learners 

To help ease the lengthy time in virtual classes, avoid textbook lecturing when possible. Mix things up, learning can be fun! 

  1. Highlight a recent topical YouTube video. 
  2. Use a virtual whiteboard for a game of Pictionary. 
  3. Review and reinforce with an online game such as Kahoot or Quizlet. 

If you want more insight on implementing less lecture and more engagement, check out our recent Shark Notes on Distracted Minds: The Role of Tempo in Good Teaching and a video on a Flipped Classroom presented by Dr. Steve Kramer. 

Carter, T. (2021, January 13). Student engagement in the Online Classroom: Eight quick tips to Spark Students’ learning: Faculty Focus. Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-student-engagement/student-engagement-in-the-online-classroom-eight-quick-tips-to-spark-students-learning/