The Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment (CAFE) has launched a new DC Connect course template for faculty. The template provides consistent structure and organization for online and hybrid courses and can be adapted for face-to-face courses. The template uses evidence-based design principles, as well as DC student feedback. We are encouraging faculty and program teams to use the new template to support consistency from the student experience side.

The new DC Connect template includes:

1. A standard ‘Welcome’ module that reinforces student supports and DC policies
2. Page layouts for videos, tables, lists and featured content displays that are easy to customize
3. A Faculty How-To Guide that provides step-by-step guidance and videos on how to update the template to suit the course

Check it out:

How do I access the template?

To customize the template for your own course, start with a new DC Connect sandbox! Details and step-by-step resources are available on our site

Questions? Let us know DCConnect@durhamcollege.ca

Do you have feedback? Contact Tanya.Wakelin@durhamcollege.ca

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Initiatives launching in May

The Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment (CAFE) has two new resources planned for May to continue supporting faculty as they move their fall courses online.

Online Course Exemplar

Launching May 8th

Built on the DC Connect template described above, this online exemplar will provide faculty with an exemplar module in DC Connect. The exemplar shows what one module with course content might look like, integrating activities that are based on the science of learning principles.

New Professional Development Series: How to Facilitate Online Learning Effectively

Launching May

This new PD series will be facilitated as an asynchronous course with synchronous elements. Faculty may choose the option that best suits their requirements. The series will apply evidence-based principles to support student learning. Online teaching strategies including discussion facilitation, learner-focused feedback, and formative and summative assessments will be covered.

Faculty may work along with their own courses in the series or choose to join specific sessions based on their needs. More details will be shared soon!

We are continuing to provide weekly PD opportunities on tools such as the Virtual Classroom, Video Assignments, DC Connect and other Microsoft tools. Keep an eye on our website for new releases.

While waiting for the launch of the workshop series, faculty may consider the following activities:

1. Review the inventory of your current face-to-face teaching materials. Remember that you aren’t starting from scratch!
2. Consider your course learning outcomes and assessments as noted in your course outline. Do you have heavily weighed assessments that require proctoring? Consider converting them to authentic assessments using this decision-making tool
3. Consider learning activities for students to actively engage with the course content and one another. Use this resource to support meeting your outcomes in an online environment.
4. Consider how you might structure your online course. Will you build a weekly structure or group content online based on topics?
5. Source online materials that can be used to build content, such as videos and open educational materials. The Library’s Subject Specialists are available remotely to help faculty members find alternative course content.
6. Consider using OneDrive to organize your content for each course.

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As always, the CAFE is here for you with resources such as Planning to move your course online and Achieving outcomes using educational technology.

Frequently asked questions this week – Grades and Gradebook

This new blog series will detail common questions the CTL eLearning team receives from faculty each week! This week is about grading and gradebooks in DC Connect!

1. Question: I had to update a student’s grade, but I already exported to banner. Can I export to banner again?
   Yes. You can repeat the Export to Banner process as many times as necessary up you want until the deadline. After which you will need to work with your school office to complete Grade Change Forms.
2. Question: The grade for a quiz is not showing up in my gradebook. What do I do?
   You might have forgotten to check the “Allow automatic export to grades” under the “Assessment” tab when you were creating your quiz. First, you’ll need to change your quiz settings to allow for an automatic export to grades and then you’ll need transfer the quiz grades to your gradebook. These quick videos will demonstrate these two steps:
   1. Step one) How to allow automatic export to grades in gradebook: https://youtu.be/2yS0fr6eRV4
   2. Step two) How to transfer your grades to gradebook: https://youtu.be/C4RwWdl4zdQ
3. Question: I have a few written response questions in my quiz that I need to mark for each student. How do I do this efficiently?
   The quiz tool allows you to mark by question for each student. This process makes it easier to mark written responses efficiently. Here is a quick video that shows you how to manually grade a quiz easily: https://youtu.be/Tjft9huus0Q.
4. Question: How can I mark documents easily and provide feedback to students?
   The new annotations feature in the Assignments tool of DC Connect allows you to provide feedback to your students directly in their submitted assignments without having to download each file submission. This means you can provide feedback to students on their papers as naturally as you would in-person. Check it out: https://durhamcollege.ca/ctl/blog/annotations-tool-in-dc-connect/
5. Question: I have students who are locked out of a quiz that is currently happening. They started the quiz at the proper time, but their computer froze / they were kicked out, and now can’t continue their attempt even though the time hasn’t expired. How do I give them access to their attempt in progress so they can continue where they left off?
   Edit the quiz and access the Restrictions tab. Next, update the End Date time so that it is an hour passed the maximum allowed time. For example, if it is currently 9:45AM and the 60-minute quiz started at 9:00AM, set the End Date time to be 11:00AM. Be sure to click the Save and Close button to affix your change.

Nathan Wilson is a full-time faculty in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. He is the coordinator of the General Arts and Science (GAS) program. In addition to teaching courses in GAS, he also teaches communications and general education courses as well as courses in the Pre-Health program.

Wilson jokes with his friends that he is simply a teacher of “stuff.”

Wilson’s educational background began when he earned a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University, double majoring in journalism and history. He continued his education at Dalhousie University where he completed a Master’s degree in 20th Century European History, focusing on Germany. In addition to teaching full time, he is currently completing a PhD in History at York University. “My work looks at the legacy of World War II and the Holocaust and how memories of those events informed later social movements in both the US and West Germany,” Wilson explains.

Wilson would find his way to Durham College (DC) while he was writing, researching and publishing his works, teaching contractually with multiple universities such as York, Ryerson, the Ontario College of Art and Design University, and more.

“I happen to apply for teaching at Durham College, because I wished to gain more experience in the post-secondary sector, not just the university system,” says Wilson. “Kevin Baker and Bev Neblett, who were the Dean and Associate Dean of the School of IS at the time, threw me a bone. They gave me a shot and allowed me to get my feet wet with college teaching.”

Wilson says he was impressed by the emphasis DC placed on student success, on top of the supports for faculty and students alike, such as the CAFE and SALS.

Today, he teaches various courses across multiple disciplines and says he not only enjoys his job, but actively works to keep his curriculum innovative for his wide variety of students.

“I feel fortunate that my courses allow me to engage with so many different students – it’s never dull and I learn so much about the college and what folks are doing here in the process,” says Wilson. “In terms of keeping things innovative, I try to engage students in a variety of ways. In Human Relations, for example, I deploy a range of active learning strategies such as one-minute papers, think-pair-shares, in-class case studies, role-play scenarios, debates, concept mapping and self-assessments.”

Next year, Wilson says the General Arts and Science program is undergoing a comprehensive review, which could see new changes on the horizon.

“This is a systematic assessment of the program that only occurs every five to seven years. The CAFE helps to facilitate this process,” says Wilson. “The conclusions drawn from this process lead to recommendations for improvement. It’s pretty extensive and should yield some interesting results. The last time that we did this, GAS and Pre-Health were the same program so a lot has changed.”

While things may change for Wilson and the program in the future, one thing remains the same: his passion for his job and his students.

“Every group is different. I find it challenging and exciting. I thoroughly enjoy our discussions. It sounds cliché but I learn so much from engaging with students,” he says. “I hope all students enjoy their time at the college. I hope they find value in what they do, here and in the future. I wish all of them nothing but success.”

 

Written By: Jacklynne Graves, Third Year , Journalism – Mass Media Student