Best Practices
Shared courses may include students from two or ten campuses. Below are a few recommendations to consider as you begin to think about sharing a course. Among the many modes available, Hybrid stands out as the most beneficial to students and faculty. For a complete list of recommendations, visit our Canvas course, Shared Programs and DLC Shared Course Delivery.
Merge Courses
A best practice for all modes is to merge Canvas course sections. When courses are shared across multiple campuses, LionPATH creates individual sections in Canvas for each of the campuses where a student is enrolled. These sections must be “merged” into one Canvas space prior to the start of the semester. This process will combine all the students into a single Canvas course in which you can then add your content. Please reach out to an instructional designer for assistance with merging courses or follow the instructions below.
Recommendations by Course Mode
Remote Asynchronous
In these courses, neither the instructor nor the students are required to attend the class at designated time. Asynchronous courses offer students the ability to participate in the course at any time or location – completely online with no scheduled meeting times. Students are given weekly deadlines and expected to plan their time to achieve these milestones. The asynchronous remote structure works best with students who exercise self-regulated learning strategies. These courses are designed with an instructional designer to ensure Penn State Quality Matters® standards.
Lectures are recorded in advance and shared with students.
Considerations:
- Make recordings in your home or office with individual viewers (not a group setting) in mind.
- Add personal elements, so that students get to know you.
- Do not correct every instance of imperfect speech, as students appreciate familiar and natural, rather than formal, speech.
- Use screen capture with audio narration.
- Script your presentation to create a succinct video that can be watched multiple times for initial understanding and further review.
- Break videos into chapters to keep the content focused and allow for students to easily find segments of your lectures. For example, one chapter might provide an overview of three main concepts.
Individual activities allow students to engage with course content through knowledge checks, practice, and critical thinking.
Considerations:
- Plant reflective prompts in the lecture video and assignments.
- Consider embedding a quiz in the video using Kaltura.
- Assign practice problems or study questions (ungraded).
- Consider the order of operations when inserting individual activities (e.g., first read, then do individual activities, then meet to discuss group project).
Group work brings otherwise unconnected students together to meet various learning objectives.
Considerations:
- Facilitate student group formation, collaboration, and team building with assignments and technical tools (such as Canvas, Microsoft Teams, CATME, Google docs, etc.).
- Encourage groups to meet synchronously to work on project deliverables.
Since students cannot be monitored while they are completing assessments, strategies should be employed to mitigate threats to academic integrity.
Considerations:
- Consider multiple low-stakes quizzes/exams that can be done online or different assignment types that can also evaluate students meeting learning objectives.
- Assign students to submit pre-recorded videos of their individual assignments (e.g., talking through their coding assignment) to be assured of academic integrity.
- Set deadline constraints with some flexibility built in for assignments and homework.
Attendance is generally not required, as participation in the course is determined by completing assignments.
Explore best practices relevant to educational technology, from Zoom to Kaltura. A few essential websites include Commonwealth Campuses Teaching Support, Teaching Online Program, and New Faculty Tech Academy.
Classroom to Classroom
Video Receiving
Certain classrooms on each campus are equipped with technology that enables instructors and students to connect via Zoom. The instructor teaches in-person from the video broadcasting room and the students join from other campuses as the video receiving room via Zoom.
If it is important to your course that students connect in person in small groups, this might be an ideal option for you. As an instructor, you should ensure that equal attention is given to the students in the broadcasting and receiving class. Keeping track of chat, and student questions from those attending from another campus is challenging. A clear contingency plan for weather closures at receiving or broadcasting campuses is important.
Presentation-style lectures continue as normal.
Considerations:
- Give equal attention to the students joining on Zoom from another campus.
- Often when many students are joining remotely the thought would be to look at the camera more than when there is “one” student joining; however, this can be perceived as awkward from the student perspective
- A quirky way to remind you to look at the camera is to humanize the camera with a pair of glasses, a crafted classmate via colorful paper, google eyes, etc.
In-class activities, completed individually or in small groups, continue to engage students.
Considerations:
- Invite and solicit remote student’s participation on a regular basis
- Check the Zoom connection for chat questions and raised hands on a consistent basis
- Repeat questions from in-person students (if room audio does not pick up)
- Read out loud questions from chat for students in the room
- Consider using a TA or asking for a volunteer in class to help with the chat
- Use student response systems (in person students connect via their phones; remote connect either on phone or computer) to engage all students (Poll Everywhere, Nearpod, Padlet, Google Presentation Q&A)
- Consider bringing a laptop to connect to the Zoom room to easier facilitate remote students
- Add any written instructions or handouts to Canvas so that remote students can easily access prior to or during class
- Continue in-class discussions in Canvas to allow all students to more easily contribute
- Clearly communicate expectations (how to communicate, how to participate, what to do if questions, tech issues, etc.)
Consider including an Introduction Discussion in Canvas to help student connect across locations. Another possibility is to create a Microsoft Teams space for students to communicate. Students could be paired between in-person and remote groups.
Since students cannot be monitored while they are completing assessments, strategies should be employed to mitigate threats to academic integrity.
Considerations:
- Consider multiple low-stakes quizzes/exams that can be done online or different assignment types that can also evaluate students meeting learning objectives.
- Assign students to submit pre-recorded videos of their individual assignments (e.g., talking through their coding assignment) to be assured of academic integrity.
- Use university resources to explore a variety of assessment techniques and resources
- Hold online office hours to connect individually with remote students (offer an incentive/requirement to encourage students to meet 1:1 at least once)
For attendance, consider using online discussion forums, rather than daily attendance, to monitor participation.
Considerations:
- Test the room and equipment prior to the first day: where in the room can students see you? Consider marking on the floor where students can see you on camera. Consider marking on the whiteboard what the camera can see. Consider using a tablet/stylus instead of the board.
- Log in early to check your mic, audio, and visual and greet remote students as they come in.
- Look at the camera from time to time the same way you pan a room (treat the video camera in the room as a student)
Explore best practices relevant to educational technology, from Zoom to Kaltura. A few essential websites include Commonwealth Campuses Teaching Support, Teaching Online Program, and New Faculty Tech Academy.
Mixed Mode
Mixed mode courses include students in a classroom and students joining via Zoom. Teaching students both in the room and on Zoom is an instructional mode that is sometimes used for teaching courses shared with multiple campuses. An advantage of this mode is that there is more flexibility for students. Teaching in this mode presents some unique challenges as instructors may be balancing the needs of the students in the room that are much different than the needs of the students who may be joining via Zoom.
Presentation-style lectures continue as normal.
Considerations:
- Give equal attention to the students joining on Zoom from another campus.
- Often when many students are joining remotely the thought would be to look at the camera more than when there is “one” student joining; however, this can be perceived as awkward from the student perspective
- A quirky way to remind you to look at the camera is to humanize the camera with a pair of glasses, a crafted classmate via colorful paper, google eyes, etc.
In-class activities, completed individually or in small groups, continue to engage students.
Considerations:
- Invite and solicit remote student’s participation on a regular basis
- Check the Zoom connection for chat questions and raised hands on a consistent basis
- Repeat questions from in-person students (if room audio does not pick up)
- Read out loud questions from chat for students in the room
- Consider using a TA or asking for a volunteer in class to help with the chat
- Use student response systems (in person students connect via their phones; remote connect either on phone or computer) to engage all students (Poll Everywhere, Nearpod, Padlet, Google Presentation Q&A)
- Consider bringing a laptop to connect to the Zoom room to easier facilitate remote students
- Add any written instructions or handouts to Canvas so that remote students can easily access prior to or during class
- Continue in-class discussions in Canvas to allow all students to more easily contribute
- Clearly communicate expectations (how to communicate, how to participate, what to do if questions, tech issues, etc.)
Consider including an Introduction Discussion in Canvas to help student connect across locations. Another possibility is to create a Microsoft Teams space for students to communicate. Students could be paired between in-person and remote groups. Additonal configuration strategies are available here.
Since students cannot be monitored while they are completing assessments, strategies should be employed to mitigate threats to academic integrity.
Considerations:
- Consider multiple low-stakes quizzes/exams that can be done online or different assignment types that can also evaluate students meeting learning objectives.
- Assign students to submit pre-recorded videos of their individual assignments (e.g., talking through their coding assignment) to be assured of academic integrity.
- Use university resources to explore a variety of assessment techniques and resources
- Hold online office hours to connect individually with remote students (offer an incentive/requirement to encourage students to meet 1:1 at least once)
For attendance, consider using online discussion forums, rather than daily attendance, to monitor participation.
Considerations:
- Test the room and equipment prior to the first day: where in the room can students see you? Consider marking on the floor where students can see you on camera. Consider marking on the whiteboard what the camera can see. Consider using a tablet/stylus instead of the board.
- Log in early to check your mic, audio, and visual and greet remote students as they come in.
- Look at the camera from time to time the same way you pan a room (treat the video camera in the room as a student)
Explore best practices relevant to educational technology, from Zoom to Kaltura. A few essential websites include Commonwealth Campuses Teaching Support, Teaching Online Program, and New Faculty Tech Academy.
Hybrid
H2, H5, H7, Remote Blended
Hybrid courses combine asynchronous and synchronous classroom components to create a cohesive learning experience. There are several classifications of hybrid courses which are determined by the division of time between asynchronous and synchronous. Hybrid courses require thoughtful integration of face-to-face activities with online content. TLT offers a comprehensive program, BlendLT, which guides you through the hybrid teaching process. To learn more, visit Hybrid Learning @ PSU.
With some synchronous and some asynchronous sessions, lectures may be delivered live or recorded in advance and shared with students. A mixture of both formats provides variety and flexibility.
Considerations:
- Make recordings in your home or office with individual viewers (not a group setting) in mind.
- Add personal elements, so that students get to know you.
- Do not correct every instance of imperfect speech, as students appreciate familiar and natural, rather than formal, speech.
- Use screen capture with audio narration.
- Script your presentation to create a succinct video that can be watched multiple times for initial understanding and further review.
- Break videos into chapters to keep the content focused and allow for students to easily find segments of your lectures. For example, one chapter might provide an overview of three main concepts.
In the hybrid environment, provide students the ability to learn lower-level skills before coming to a synchronous session. Then, the time together can be used to expand upon ideas by having more group activities, interactive discussions, and engaging in-class polling software.
Group work brings otherwise unconnected students together to meet various learning objectives.
Considerations:
- Explore virtual labs, virtual field trips, or online surveys
- Facilitate student group formation, collaboration, and team building with assignments and technical tools (such as Canvas, Microsoft Teams, CATME, Google docs, etc.).
- Encourage groups to meet synchronously to work on project deliverables.
Depending on the specific type of Hybrid course it is, some students may not be able to be monitored while they are completing assessments.
Considerations:
- Consider multiple low-stakes quizzes/exams that can be done online or different assignment types that can also evaluate students meeting learning objectives.
- Assign students to submit pre-recorded videos of their individual assignments (e.g., talking through their coding assignment) to be assured of academic integrity.
- Set deadline constraints with some flexibility built in for assignments and homework.
Attendance is generally not required, as participation in the course is determined by completing assignments.
Explore best practices relevant to educational technology, from Zoom to Kaltura. A few essential websites include Commonwealth Campuses Teaching Support, Teaching Online Program, and New Faculty Tech Academy.
Remote Synchronous
During Zoom synchronous instruction, an entire class participates at the same time but from different locations. Advantages of this technique include the ability to instantly interact with others. This type of instruction is best for faculty and students who prefer direct connections and benefit from the social motivator of being prepared for a particular class time. Instructors should provide for their students a list of available spaces on their campus from which they can connect in the case that their home environment is not available or ideal for joining class. A clear contingency plan for weather closures at campuses is important.
Presentation-style lectures continue as normal.
Considerations:
- Adopt a camera-optional practice for teaching through Zoom. A camera-optional approach respects student issues such as equity (e.g., some students may not have cameras on their devices), safety and security (e.g., some students may be deployed on active military service, or in need of safety or privacy), and religious beliefs.
- Use polls, chat, and self-check questions to determine students’ understanding of the lecture. (Note: You will not have a visual of student expressions and body language to gauge understanding.)
- Record lectures and make these available for students who miss class.
In-class activities, completed individually or in small groups, continue to engage students.
Considerations:
- Facilitate discussions through Zoom breakout rooms for in-class group discussions. The instructor circulates among rooms to check progress and ask questions to promote deeper thinking.
- Use screen sharing for hands-on components (e.g., labs, programming).
- Use Zoom annotation and white board tools to facilitate hands-on activities and discussions. Many creative options are described in the Zoom Toolkit.
- Zoom: Questioning Strategies to Increase Engagement: This handout provides you with questioning strategies to increase participant engagement in your meetings and webinars, and ways to execute these strategies using the tools in Zoom.
Group work brings students together to meet various learning objectives during class or outside of class.
Considerations:
- Facilitate student group formation, collaboration, and team building with assignments and technical tools (such as Canvas, Microsoft Teams, CATME, Google docs, etc.).
Since students cannot be monitored while they are completing assessments, strategies should be employed to mitigate threats to academic integrity.
Considerations:
- Consider multiple low-stakes quizzes/exams that can be done online or different assignment types that can also evaluate students meeting learning objectives.
- Assign students to submit pre-recorded videos of their individual assignments (e.g., talking through their coding assignment) to be assured of academic integrity.
- Use university resources to explore a variety of assessment techniques and resources
- Hold online office hours to connect individually with remote students (offer an incentive/requirement to encourage students to meet 1:1 at least once)
For attendance, consider using online discussion forums, rather than daily attendance, to monitor participation.
Explore best practices relevant to educational technology, from Zoom to Kaltura. A few essential websites include Commonwealth Campuses Teaching Support, Teaching Online Program, and New Faculty Tech Academy.
Additional Resources
Student Engagement
Regardless of which mode your course is delivered in, student engagement is a top priority for shared courses. Here are some tips for engaging students regardless of mode.
Accessibility
Steps to ensure the accessibility of your course will improve the learning experience for all your students. The Quick Accessibility Checklist shows common areas to review in class materials.