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Spring 2019 — Start-of-Semester Checklist for Online Classes
Jennifer Michael posted on Jan 23, 2019

Teaching online this spring? This checklist will help keep you on track.

(Spring classes begin Monday, February 4. Spring Art Experience classes begin Saturday, February 23. See the Online Module Calendar for details.) 


(star) CRITICAL (star)  #1 — Get familiar with the Academy's UPDATED Online Teaching Standards.

Our teaching standards were revised for Spring 2019, so please make sure you are familiar with the current expectations. 

Starting this semester, there has been an adjustment to the instructor attendance requirements:

Online instructors are expected to enter course section(s) a minimum of five (5) days a week, and leave public evidence of presence each of those days. 

As part of this five-days-a-week requirement, the Academy now requires online instructors to log in and spend a minimum of one hour every Wednesday and one hour every Saturday, between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. in their respective time zones, engaging with all of their online classes. (Please note that this new requirement is for a minimum of one hour of participation each Wednesday and each Saturday — not one hour per section on each of these days.)

Reminder: By the end of Module 1, online instructors are required to post the days and times when they will be working in each online class; these working hours must now include the one-hour minimum on Wednesdays and the one-hour minimum on Saturdays.

If you have any circumstances that prevent you from adhering to the Wednesday & Saturday schedule requirement, you must immediately notify your academic department director who will evaluate your request and get back to you.

Review the full list of Standards for Online Instructors and download the rubric to help you assess your own effectiveness as an online instructor.


#2 – Review the most recent updates to the online learning system.

Do you have our app?

Online Education has developed Classes, an app for students and faculty, where they can check all things Academy-related. The Classes app includes the campus shuttle schedule, along with course information, online classrooms and student grades. Download the app for iOS or Android today — and tell your students about it!


#3 – Review the Workday requirements for reporting your hours (for part-time employees only).


#4 – Plan your time.

Review & download the Online Module Calendar for this semester. And please take note of the new requirements for online participation, described above and in the Standards for Online Instructors.

(star)PLEASE NOTE: This semester, Spring Break runs from Sunday, March 24, through Friday, March 29. Online classes resume on Monday, April 1.


#5 – Clarify and post your expectations.


#6 – Make your class student-ready.


#7 – Get students talking.


#8 – Take care of administrative tasks.

  • Update your contact information in WorkDay.

  • Contact HR (hr@academyart.edu) to update your contact information in the Academy's official record, if needed.

  • Set up Easy Grade Pro with your new class roster. OR, if your class is using The Gradebook, familiarize yourself with its features. 


#9 – Set up an online office (optional).


#10 – Get some support.

  • Contact Jenny Michael (jmichael@academyart.edu; 415-618-3547) to make an appointment for one-on-one support.

  • Post a question (as a Comment, below).

RETURN TO:  Academy Library of Teaching Resources:  Blog  |  Home

The semester is wrapping up...
Jennifer Michael posted on Dec 13, 2018


Credit: Stephanie Mast, PH 611 (Fall 2018)

Key Dates

Please make note of these important dates:

  • The Fall 2018 semester ends on SATURDAY, December 22 — one day earlier than the usual end of a module.

Please remind your students about this early deadline by posting an announcement and/or sending a message through the Mailbox. 

Keep in mind that you can extend the due date for your assignments, if you want to give students an extra day or two to finish up. (Learn more: Setting Up Your Topics) However, once the semester is officially over, students will no longer have access to the course modules. (They will still be able to view course media and everything in the Discussion.)

  • Final grades for all classes are due by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, December 29. (Learn more: Posting Progress Grades.)

Wrapping Up — and Looking Ahead

You might find it helpful to review these blog posts, which provide guidance on crucial end-of-semester tasks and issues:

RETURN TO:  Teaching Library:  Online Teaching Blog  |  Resources For ONLINE Instructors  |  Teaching Library Home

Thanksgiving Holiday 2018
Jennifer Michael posted on Nov 14, 2018

The Academy will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday from Thursday, November 22, through Sunday, November 25.

Online instructors and students are NOT expected to be in their online classes during this period.

NOTE: These days are NOT part of the blackout time for part-time instructor work, however, so you may choose to work and report your hours as usual on these days.

Since the Module 11 deadline falls during this break, we strongly suggest that you extend the deadline for your Module 11 topics and quizzes, to allow students some extra time to complete and submit their work. (How much additional time you allow is up to you.)

  • To extend the deadline for your topics: Simply edit your topics (course topics and global topics) and adjust the due and close dates.

    • Course Topics

       Click here to expand...

      1. Navigate to your Current or Pending Topics page (depending on when you make this change), and click the "Edit" link next to any topic you want to update.

       
      2. Change the close date and due date (for assignments). Then click the "Submit" button to post your updates.

    • Global Topics

       Click here to expand...

      1a. Navigate to your Global Topics page, and use the dates interface to make your updates. The topics are automatically updated with the new dates you enter.

       
      1b. Alternatively, you can click the "View / Edit" link next to any topic you want to update.

       
      2. Change the close date and due date (for assignments). Then click the "Submit" button to post your updates.

And don't forget to let your students know about this schedule change (by posting an announcement or creating an informational topic — or using whatever means you prefer to communicate important information).

Happy Thanksgiving! 

(star) LEARN MORE (star) 


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