The Terror of Tuesdays
Every year it seems like one day gets hit particularly hard by winter storm closures, usually it’s just a matter of the pigeonhole principle.
Anyone teaching on Tuesdays, particularly Tuesday evenings might already be feeling the heat (or rather the blistering cold). If you need to find a way to make up some of that lost time, the E-Learning Office is here to help.
One thing you could do is schedule a synchronous session using Blackboard Collaborate. This is an online meeting tool that works a lot like a Google Hangout. Students get a link which they can use to join the online classroom, there you can connect with video, microphones, or text. Instructors can display slides, images, or share what’s on your screen. The room can be used more than once, so if you have future cancellations, you could suggest meeting online if students haven’t lost power or internet connection. Collaborate sessions can also be recorded and sent to students in the event they aren’t able to attend.
These meeting rooms can be set up by the E-Learning Office, or you can add them to your Moodle course the same way that you’d add a forum or a quiz.
While Collaborate is a strong synchronous tool, there are other options as well.
The E-Learning Office can show you how to create basic videos from your powerpoints, or how to add some interactive elements to those powerpoints. These can help move some of the lesson online to ease up on some of the pressure on your class time.
Another tool you might be interested in is H5P which can be used for adding interactive elements to existing videos. Like Collaborate, this is something that you already have access to in Moodle.
These can be stepping stones to taking a more blended approach to teaching, adding multiple means for students to learn, or to flip your course. If you need a hand taking back some of your class time, please contact us at elearning@upei.ca
