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D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Basics 2015
T H E B A S I C S :
D2L BRIGHTSPACE
MECHANICS & BEST PRACTICES
D2L BRIGHTSPACE Version 10.5
Normandale Community College
The Basics: D2L BRIGHTSPACE Mechanics and Best Practices
D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Basics 2015 Pages left intentionally blank for you to take notes!
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Workshop Description This 1day workshop is designed for College faculty and staff who will be using D2L BRIGHTSPACE (D2L) for online, hybrid, or face-to-face courses. The D2L BRIGHTSPACE manual is created as a guide to assist you after you attend the workshop and is not designed as a step-by-step guide through the workshop, as that is not shown to be reflective of active learning teaching styles. Instructors: Online Learning Team and helpers Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will describe the key elements of a well-designed online/hybrid course
(consistency, logical organization, clarity of expectations, and accessibility).
2. Participants will implement Best Practices in the design of their online/hybrid course that
embody the key elements.
3. Participants will describe the relationship of student learning outcomes, learning
activities, and assessments in a well-designed online/hybrid course.
4. Participants will use a variety of active, higher-level learning activities suitable for
online/hybrid courses.
5. Participants will use the D2L BRIGHTSPACE components effectively and appropriately
to deliver their online/hybrid courses.
Prior to the workshop:
If you do not have a course that you can conduct experimentation in as an instructor,
submit a ticket to the AskUS Employee Edition (http://askus-
employee.custhelp.com) and request a developmental course. Indicate in your email
that you need the course by the morning of the training. You are welcome to use a
course that you already have, as long as you don't mind making some changes. It is
suggested to use an old course, a developmental course, or one that you will be
teaching. It is not advised to experiment in an active course where real students are
currently learning.
Choose a course that you would like to build or improve upon. This could be a new
class, or one in which you either want to convert from a face-to-face to an online course,
offer supplemental instruction for, or that you are currently teaching online.
Technology
This course will be conducted using Normandale’s instructional management system. Normandale’s online learning platform is D2L Brightspace. You should login to this environment prior to the course, to ensure that you can login. To login, visit Normandale’s website (http://www.normandale.edu) and click on (D2L BRIGHTSPACE). You are encouraged to bookmark the login address: https://normandale.ims.mnscu.edu/index.asp
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Grading and Assessment Your ability to achieve the learning outcomes will not be assessed as part of this workshop – it is solely to help you create quality online instruction. Since this is an evolving and often changing workshop, your feedback as to its value is important. We will ask you to tell us your thoughts via an anonymous survey at the end of the workshop. We may also recommend to you other opportunities. Upon request, participants may receive a certificate of successful completion.
Basics One Day Agenda: Breakout of Topics
Topic Approximate Time
Welcome, Get Signed On, Introductions,
Agenda Review
8:00
Import/Exp./Copy Online Essentials 8:45
Home Page News and Materials: Content 9:30
Break 10:00
QM/CCOs/SLOs 10:15
Accessible videos, uploading files 10:45
Active Learning/Bloom 11:15
Lunch 12:00-1:00
User-Progress/ Classlist/email/ Office
365/Communication/ Chat
1:00
Assessment: Gradebook 1:30
Break 2:30
Dropbox 2:45
Discussions 3:00
Quizzes 3:30
Questions Close 4:00
(You are strongly encouraged to attend all day. Times and Topics are approximate.)
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Table of Contents
List of Changes to D2L BRIGHTSPACE Version 10.5 June 2015 ................................................................................ 7
Online Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 9
Three Types of Classrooms .................................................................................................................................. 10
Best Practices for Online Courses:........................................................................................................................ 14
Best Practices: Homepage .................................................................................................................................... 16
Best Practices: News Items .................................................................................................................................. 17
Materials: Content ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Content Organization: Options ............................................................................................................................ 20
Course Introductory Module ................................................................................................................................ 22
Creating Content Options .................................................................................................................................... 25
Best Practices: Content Organization ................................................................................................................... 30
Quality Matters™ Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 33
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning ............................................................................................................................ 36
Learning Outcomes Example Using Bloom’s Taxonomy ....................................................................................... 37
Examples of Action Verbs .................................................................................................................................... 39
Accessible Course Design ..................................................................................................................................... 42
D2L BRIGHTSPACE Accessibility Feature .............................................................................................................. 45
Active Learning .................................................................................................................................................... 48
Teaching & Learning Activities: Examples ............................................................................................................ 49
Active Learning Resources ................................................................................................................................... 50
Individual Learning Activity/Game Builders ......................................................................................................... 51
Setting up a Chat in D2L BRIGHTSPACE ................................................................................................................ 55
Classlist ................................................................................................................................................................ 58
Enrollment Statistics ............................................................................................................................................ 59
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E-mail .................................................................................................................................................................. 60
Setup Wizard to configure a Gradebook .............................................................................................................. 68
Add categories and items to a Gradebook ........................................................................................................... 78
Grade Items ......................................................................................................................................................... 81
Optional Ideas with D2L BRIGHTSPACE ................................................................................................................ 86
Advanced Users Quiz Grading Publish and UnPublish to Gradebook ................................................................... 87
Best Practices: Student Feedback ........................................................................................................................ 94
Properties ............................................................................................................................................................ 97
Restrictions .......................................................................................................................................................... 98
Dropbox No Submission Feedback ..................................................................................................................... 100
Download Submissions and Upload in Bulk ...................................................................................................... 102
Restore a Deleted Dropbox ................................................................................................................................ 106
Groups and Discussions ..................................................................................................................................... 113
Best Practices for Discussions and Groups ......................................................................................................... 117
Effective Discussion Participation ...................................................................................................................... 120
Worksheet: Discussion ....................................................................................................................................... 122
SAMPLE QUESTIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 129
Creating Discussions .......................................................................................................................................... 130
Restrictions Tab ................................................................................................................................................. 132
Assessment Tab ................................................................................................................................................. 132
Expanding and Collapsing by Forum and Topic .................................................................................................. 133
Discussion Message Display ............................................................................................................................... 134
Discussion Statistics ........................................................................................................................................... 134
Assessment: Quizzes .......................................................................................................................................... 136
Creating Quizzes ................................................................................................................................................ 138
Editing Quizzes................................................................................................................................................... 148
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Bulk Edit Quiz Properties ................................................................................................................................... 149
Copying Quizzes ................................................................................................................................................. 150
Previewing Quizzes ............................................................................................................................................ 151
Multiple Choice / Multiple Select Test Item Tips ................................................................................................ 152
Import/Export/Copy Components ..................................................................................................................... 154
Copy .................................................................................................................................................................. 155
Additional Resources ......................................................................................................................................... 163
Syllabus Checklist .......................................................................................................................................... 171
Student Resources ............................................................................................................................................. 176
Where can I get help .......................................................................................................................................... 177
Resources .......................................................................................................................................................... 179
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List of Changes to D2L BRIGHTSPACE Version 10.5 June 2015
What’s new in D2L BRIGHTSPACE Videos and presentations link: https://D2L Brightspace.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1604/kw/1604
Content
• In the Content tool, Upcoming Events has been renamed Course Schedule.
• Items in the Course Schedule can be filtered by those that are Overdue,
Upcoming, or Full Schedule.
Copy Course Components
• Copy Course Components has been updated to include associated files
• It is now easier and faster for instructors to include associated files when copying
components from one course to another.
• When you use the "Include associated files" feature, all files associated with the
selected course components are copied to the new course.
• For example, if you copy all items and associated files for Content, links and
images in copied files remain intact. In addition, for content topics and modules, the
feature analyzes HTML, HTM, and CSS files to retrieve any files referenced within
them, such as embedded images, media, Javascript, and CSS files. All these files are
also copied, maintaining links and styles.
• You must manually select assignments, discussion topics, and content outside the
course to copy any items associated by Quicklinks.
• This feature implements PIE item D171.
Brightspace App Finder
• Application to find what apps are approved for implementation
Dropbox Turnitin
• When instructors create a new Dropbox folder, or edit an existing one, there is
now a Turnitin tab where instructors can enable and configure the integration.
• Click the Turnitin tab, then click Enable Turnitin for this folder.
• Once Turnitin is enabled, instructors can configure more options, such as the
comparison of submitted papers to source materials, generation of Originality Reports,
and settings for the Similarity Index - or the OriginalityCheck or GradeMark
functionalities.
Quizzing and Respondus Lockdown Browser
• Add-on tool that must be purchased by each campus.
• There is an updated feature for the LDB and the special access for a quiz.
• Instructors can now exempt individual users from requiring Respondus
• LockDown Browser when taking a quiz instead of having to exempt all users in
• order to accommodate one user's needs.
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• This feature implements PIE D740.
• The Lockdown Browser is most effectively used in a classroom or lab on campus
testing environment and is not a secure method for testing. Utilize proctoring policies
for more secure testing results.
Documentation & Resources:
10.5.0 Release Notes, Fixed Issues, and Known Issues D2L Brightspace 10.5.0 - New and Updated Features Video (3.5 minutes) D2L Brightspace 10.5.0 Teacher Documentation; click on a tool link to view
instructions. On each tool page, teacher help topics are listed under the "Instructor topics" section.
D2L Brightspace Community videos Note: Brightspace tools are settings based. Your organization's settings may be different from the settings in the videos. You should expect to see discrepancies. Most will be minor.
D2L Brightspace Product Idea Exchange (PIE) is open to D2L Brightspace Community Members. All D2L clients are encouraged to become Brightspace community members and make use of the community resources and contribute ideas to PIE. Join at https://members.brightspace.com/JavaBridge/members/register/ Note: see our Where do I submit my ideas for feature requests? FAQ for information about creating a Brightspace Community account.
Note: this FAQ may be updated with additional information or links on D2L Brightspace 10.5.0 on a periodic basis.
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Online Overview
Objectives:
1. Understand the different delivery modes for instruction.
2. Review best practices for online instruction.
3. Compare traditional and online classrooms.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Three Types of Classrooms Generally, we define courses into one of three of the following types.
Face-to-Face This can be a course that does not use D2L BRIGHTSPACE at all, but now almost all courses use D2L BRIGHTSPACE in some way. Most often, a Face-to-Face course uses at minimum, the Grade Book, the Class List, and the Course Home Page (for Course News). Frequently the Content area is used to store the Syllabus and other course reference materials. It is recommended you utilize a news item to describe 1. How to contact you and 2. How you will use D2L BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace! Hybrid Class time is reduced, but students are in class part of the time. This model is often used for lab-based classes or classes requiring some face-to-face interaction. Many components of D2L BRIGHTSPACE are used, based on the instructor's choices. The Drop Box for posting assignments, news items for updates and overviews, content area for materials, and quizzes are typically used. Discussions are a great way to keep students engaged between classroom meetings. Online All instruction takes place online. Instructors may never meet their students face-to-face, though the course may include up to two required on-ground class meetings. These are usually used for proctored exams. It's generally discouraged to require any on-site meetings, as students may be geographically dispersed, or have major impediments to coming to the campus. Many online courses require proctored exams. See the Normandale Proctored exam policy and procedures if your course will require a proctored exam. The proctored exam must be included in your course description so that students know if they will be required to provide proctor information. Proctoring Policy and Procedures link: http://www.normandale.edu/directory/policy-and-procedures/314-proctoring-for-online
MnSCU Codes: The specific media codes used for the Course Catalog further segment Hybrid and Online courses. Following is a link to MnSCU’s catalog definitions: http://www.its.mnscu.edu/isrs/doc/mnonline/mediacode03.htm.
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Comparison: The Traditional Class with the online Class in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Element Traditional Class Online Class in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Getting Started
Welcome Spoken by instructor Displayed on course News page. Can include text message, image(s), audio clip, etc.
Syllabus/Schedule Handed out in class Posted in course Content.
Initial Community Building Activities
Examples: students introduce themselves to class; in small groups, students share info. About themselves.
Examples: Students post autobiographical paragraph(s) in Discussions. Other students post replies/comments.
Communication Instructor to Student Orally by the instructor in class.
In materials handed out in class. In student work returned in class.
Using the appropriate D2L BRIGHTSPACE tool, e.g., News and Discussions, and materials posted in Content. Also using the feedback feature in Quizzes, Gradebook, and Dropbox. Also via email.
Between instructor and Student Face-to-face in the classroom, during office hours, or by appointment. Also via email and by phone.
Primarily using the D2L BRIGHTSPACE Discussions tool. The Pager is useful as an instant messenger, and the Chat can be used for online office hours. Synchronous conferencing is also possible with programs such as Horizon Wimba, or WebEx. Also via email and by phone.
Among Students Face-to-face in the classroom, as well as via email and by phone. Interaction can also take place in campus locales.
Using the appropriate D2L BRIGHTSPACE tool, e.g., Discussions, including areas created for student social interaction such as a Class Café, and groups created for more focused interaction. Also via email and phone.
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Comparison: The Traditional Class with the online Class in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Element Traditional Class Online Class in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Course Content, Resources, & Other Information
Textbooks Purchased by student. Purchased by student.
Lectures Presented in class. Presented in Content as Word documents, audio/video clips, Power Points, links to external webpage(s). Also presented in CD-ROM or DVD format. Synchronous lectures presented using conferencing programs such as Horizon, Wimba, or EvbEx.
Resources (supplementary materials)
Handouts of additional readings, samples of assignments, charts, forms, etc., including list of web resources. Also resources in video, CD-ROM, or DVD format.
Resources accessed through Content, including additional readings, samples of assignments, charts, forms, etc. (usually as Word or HTML documents), and links to web resources. Also resources in DC-ROM or DVD format.
Instructions and Other Information
Spoken comments, handouts, notes on the board, overheads, data projections (e.g. Power Points & web sites
Posted on the News page, in Content, in Discussions, and in the Dropbox. Chat feature for one-on-one or small group interaction. Also presented using conferencing programs such as Horizon Wimba or WebEx. Also in email.
Student Performance Quizzes and Exams (normal) Administered in class. Administered using Quizzes
feature (includes automatic posting of grades to Gradebook).
Quizzes and Exams (proctored) Administered in college testing center
Administered in campus testing center or at a site by a 3rd party, agreed upon by students and instructor, e.g., local high school other college, or library.
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Comparison: The Traditional Class with the online Class in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Element Traditional Class Online Class in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Quizzes and Exams (take-home Distributed by instructor in class Same as Quizzes and Exams (normal). Administered using Quizzes feature, with different restrictions, if any.
Written Work (e.g., essays, reports, etc.)
Turned in to instructor before, during, or after class.
Submitted via email or via the Dropbox.
Classroom Assessment
CATs, surveys, etc. CATs (adapted for online delivery), Survey tool.
Course & Instructor Evaluations (at end of semester) Administered in class. Administered using Surveys
feature.
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Best Practices for Online Courses:
Communicate - studies show an active instructor presence helps aid retention
(fewer drops, students will take more online courses, etc).
Consider sending an email at least twice per semester to each student for some
private contact. (This can be about their work in the course so far, asking for
feedback from them, or what they liked best, etc.)
Encourage student to student communication as well as instructor to student
communication.
Ask for feedback via a mid-term survey (and take action if necessary), in addition
to end of term.
Communicate your availability and preferred means of communication (online
office hours via chat, phone number, pager, email, etc.). Provide availability
hours and discourage contact outside those times. Keep this information as part
of the top News item for the semester.
Set regular schedules for opening and closing all weekly activities, such as
assignments, discussions, quizzes, etc.
Provide online office hours (via group chat) one hour/week/three credit course).
Perhaps start out with a web-enhanced/hybrid course. Some studies show these
are more effective than all online or all classroom in student learning,
engagement, retention, and success.
Consider using the Intelligent Agents in D2L BRIGHTSPACE to send out
personal messages if a student hasn’t logged into the system in a set number of
days. Sign the message your worried instructor. Automatic messages can be
personalized and show you care about the student being successful.
Getting started teaching online: Get a mentor, start with a hybrid class, and build your
content for a fully online class over a semester that you are teaching that same class in-
person. When you talk about something in your classroom, make sure it is repeated
somewhere in your online version. Take the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric training
or one of the half-day workshops.
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H O M E P A G E N E W S
Objectives:
4. Write an introductory News item.
5. Identify a method to display your contact information on the homepage.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Best Practices: Homepage
Use the Calendar for your course, either for special events, or regular due dates. If you
provide regular due dates, do it all semester, for all assignments. Students will start
depending on it, and will have an excuse for not making a deadline if you forget to put it
in the calendar! When you create a discussion for example, check the box that says
include on the calendar so you have things done more automatically to save time.
Create a custom widget, “Instructor Information” with your contact information, office
hours, a photograph, etc. After you contact the Employee helpdesk ticket system (portal-
left side-AskUs Employee Edition-Ask a question), put it in the upper right portion of the
screen. See the PDC staff for help creating the widget.
Optional: create a custom widget, “Weekly Assignments” in which you list all actions the
students must take that week (including chapter readings, discussions, etc.).
In a hybrid class, take notes after a class session and instruct students to look for the
overview of what was covered in class in the News item to refresh their memory.
In a fully online class, write news items every couple of days, as if you were in class.
Converse with the students in the news item. Wish them Happy Weekends, sunny day
messages, etc. Include images with your messages. Put your personality into the News
and use it to keep students engaged.
Homepage /News: One online instructor shoots a short, casual video of himself each week, introducing the topic of the week, or mentioning any current news related to the course subject. The video is then placed in the News component for viewing. This communicates his own excitement about the subject, and his own personality. Homepage / News: One online instructor developed a custom widget called, “This Week’s Assignments” and updates it at the beginning of each week. Assignments are also documented, with specific directions, as a Content Topic, Via the Assignments widget; students can more quickly remind themselves of what they need to do.
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Best Practices: News Items
First News Item
This is critical for online courses. The first thing new students will see is your Course
Homepage, and the first News item. Among other things, that first News item should direct
students specifically to a “Read Me First” file in the Content area. Providing a link in the first
News item to it is also good – it avoids the phrase, Go to the Materials tab in the upper banner,
click on Content, and then click on “Read Me First”, or something like that. This is fine, but a link
is a quicker means to the goal of providing definite, easy directions. The first News item should
contain, AT A MINIMUM:
Welcome
Instructor Name, Course Name, Formal Course Number
Instructor Contact Methods and Hours (phone, email, and office location. State when
you will/will not be available).
Instructions to “Start Here” or “Read me First”
Online office hours (provided via group chat) one hour/week/three credit course.
Show some personality! Enter your credentials, a photo, teaching philosophy, etc.
The classroom delivered courses should have a notice that the syllabus is posted and
other directions as to how you intend to use the course.
Ongoing News Items
Current / newest News item goes on top, keep old ones below for reference.
Always repeat contact info, office hours in current News Item (copy and paste), unless
you have an Instructor Contact widget on your homepage.
Keep News items short, bulleted, include a graphic, a link, etc. Students won’t read long
items.
Try to change News items each week. More frequently is even better! Use it to have a
conversation with your students like you would in class.
If you use the News area to direct students to assignments for the week, do it for each
week of the course, to be consistent. Students will grow to depend on it.
Make them relevant – insert links to current “real” news items pertaining to your course,
or a video.
Some people use the news area to display the content. Links that direct them to the
content from the News is an option often used. In the Content area, you may create
lesson modules that have links to all your content.
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The Welcome to the D2L BRIGHTSPACE Basics introductory news item tells you how to get
to the content and specific course information to get users started. One item we haven’t
addressed is the use of the Content Browser in the lower left corner. We may go to the top
Content and then Materials, but students often use the content browser, so keep that in
mind when you are giving directions.
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Materials: Content
Objectives:
1. Describe three introductory activities.
2. Create an organized content page.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Content Organization: Options
Content is organized to establish a clear and consistent pattern of learning. This should align
with the delivery method and/or how the students will use the course. Consistency is key to
helping students stay on task and engaged. Here are a couple of recommended options:
Option 1:
Modules per week, topic, chapter, or section, with similar or same topics
Week One: Topic Name
o Weekly Overview/Introduction to the topic, and learning outcomes (all items and
due dates for the week)
o Presentation of content Example:
Lecture Notes
Readings
Worksheets (Lab)
o Assignments Week One
o Discussion Week One
o Quiz Chapter 1
Week Two: Topic Name
o Weekly Overview/Introduction to the topic, and learning objectives (all items and
due dates for the week)
o Presentation of content Example:
Lecture Notes
Readings
Worksheets (Lab)
o Assignments Week Two
o Discussion Week Two
o Quiz Chapter 2
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Option 2:
Modules by activity type, each with a notation of which week they’re to be done (recommended
for Hybrid or Traditional classes only).
Overview
o Week 1
o Week 2
o Week 3
Content (lecture notes, videos, etc.)
o Week 1
o Week 2
o Week 3
Assignments
o Week 1
o Week 2
o Week 3
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Course Introductory Module
Online courses, more than other delivery modes, should have a module for the first week that
communicates your expectations, establishes your learning pattern for the course, and gets
them introduced to your course. There is also the issue of the technology you may be using,
such as Microsoft Office, how to get tutoring or other course or technology help, and how to use
D2L BRIGHTSPACE.
We now have an adaptable template course called Online Essentials that is an example of what
an effectively designed course could be. Save yourself time creating the shell and speak with
Online Learning to get this course added to your development list of courses. Don’t make
changes in this shell course, rather, copy this shell into your course template and get started
quickly with the navigation already in place! Delete what you can’t use or that which is simply
put in as reminders for you and get started Fast!
Hybrid courses also benefit from having introductory content that the student can access before
the first class session. Following are just some ideas of content / activities to provide students:
Start here or Read-me-First - This is critical for online courses. The first thing new students will
see is your course Homepage, and the first News item. That first News item should direct
students specifically to a Read-me-First or Start here file in the Content area. Providing a link
in the first News item to it is also. A link is a quicker means to the goal of providing definite,
easy directions. This document should contain, the first several assignments to the student. This
includes:
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Welcome to this course
Instructor introduction and preferred contact methods/times for office hours
Directions about how to get started. This is most often a short list of Introductory
assignments, such as:
o Read the Syllabus.
o Go to the Discussions tab, click on the discussion titled, Introduce Yourself, and post
an introduction (or provide a link to the discussion). Alert the students to respond to
one or two other students' postings.
o Go to the Quizzes tab, and take the quiz titled, Syllabus Quiz. This helps new
students practice taking a quiz—if you are using quizzes. Set the quiz to several
attempts and review the user progress to see if students are struggling with taking a
quiz. Use timing of the quizzes based upon your student population’s reading level,
the type of class, the material difficulty, and the content itself.
o Consider having students watch or take the NorthStar Digital Literacy Assessment
(http://www.digitalliteracyassessment.org ) available on the Online Education pages,
which are located under Current Students and Online Education:
http://www.normandale.edu/current-students/academic-resources/online-education
o Other options for improving Digital and Computing skills in your classes may be
available through the Atomic Learning link under Resources inside D2L
BRIGHTSPACE’s homepage or in your D2L BRIGHTSPACE classroom. Student’s
login with their StarID and you can even set up groups to assign specific training to
your students, like Excel training or Listening or other Career skills. Contact Online
Learning for more ideas on flipping your classroom with Atomic Learning tutorials,
workshops, and training. Visit this site and use your StarID:
https://www.atomiclearning.com/login/normandale
Other introductory activity options:
o Course Scavenger Hunt
Due Dates for Pattern of Learning activities, such as when the discussions
are due, when assignments are due
How to contact the instructor
Office Hours and directions
Grading and late policy (feedback frequency)
Find the first handout (lab, etc)
Find the Student Resources, such as Atomic Learning and Online Orientation
videos
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o Directions to write a document and put it in the Drop Box
Complete a NorthStar Digital Literacy Assessment and email or dropbox a
screenshot of your results (social media, Excel, Word, etc)
Have students find the Atomic Learning Tutorials and select a training or
workshop and write a paragraph about what they have studied and upload to
the dropbox
o Directions to email the instructor
Include an example that the subject line has the name of the course and
section number, along with a subject line. Example: CSCI 1000 Test 1
Questions. This helps so that you can quickly identify student email
messages in your inbox!
o Directions to enter the Chat Room at a specific day/time to chat with the instructor for
online office hours
o Link to the Online Education Homepage, and directions to explore the e-Learning
modules and videos listed there: http://www.normandale.edu/current-
students/academic-resources/online-education
o Link to the D2L BRIGHTSPACE Student Guide and Select Online Course Users
Guide-updated each academic year
https://normandale.ims.mnscu.edu/
o Link to the D2L Brightspace "How-To" videos http://www.normandale.edu/current-
students/academic-resources/online-education/start-learning-online/D2L
Brightspace-orientation-videos
o Link to Smarthinking and the Tutoring Center
https://services.smarthinking.com/student/services/ or
http://www.normandale.edu/advising-and-services/tutoring
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The last item in Read Me First should be to go to the Content tab and click on Week One (or
Unit, Section, or Chapter One).
Time spent in Introductory activities are very beneficial for getting students off to a good start,
and productively using the drop/add time without penalizing late-starting students by missing
course content.
Creating Content Options
1. You may create content by uploading Word or PDF files.
Click New
Click Upload Files
Drag and Drop your files in Firefox, Chrome or Safari
Select Upload and search for your file and select Add
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2. You may create content using the HTML editor.
Click New
Click Create a File
Select Publish
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Want to know where the Language icon has been moved?
Content
Create a File
Dropdown Arrow
Insert Symbol
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Using the HTML editor, you can Insert Stuff to:
Add a Link
Embed a YouTube Video
Preview your page:
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HTML Editor
This view shows what is behind the dropdown arrow and the ellipse. In addition, what is at the bottom of the HTML Editor.
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Best Practices: Content Organization
The goal is clarity, consistency, and organization. Students need to concentrate on the
content, not work hard to figure out what’s to be done, and where to find it.
Follow the text book chapters, the weeks in the course, or the units/sections by name,
but be consistent!
Structure by week/unit is best, but you can also use a Module for all overviews, all
assignments, discussions, optional material, etc., with the week or date for each in the
Topic title. (This structure is often used for hybrid or face-to-face courses.)
Start each week with an “overview” that includes all assignments, due dates for the
week. Do this consistently, as students will depend on it. Two options:
o Provide links to appropriate discussions, quizzes, drop box folders, and other
items within the overview. Students can then just go to the overview to access
everything they need to do.
o Provide appropriate Discussions, Quizzes, Dropboxes, and other items as
separate Topics within the overview. Students can use the Topics within each
Module to access the specific activity directly.
o Use both options, or choose only one, but be consistent with book titles, Topic
names, assignment titles, etc.!
There is no automatic enumeration in D2L BRIGHTSPACE Modules and Topics, so use
your own scheme in titles. If you don’t go by weeks, you can just use numbers, starting
with #1 for the introductory module.
Show students two-three Modules ahead of the current module, so they can see what’s
coming, and work ahead if desired. However, it can be daunting for students to see the
whole course laid out from the beginning, so hide some later weeks.
If at all possible, build all Modules before the semester starts. Don’t assume you can
build future Modules while the course is in session.
Avoid using dates in Module or Topic titles, or in content that you’ll want to use again, so
you don’t have to remember to change them. You can communicate dates using
Restrictions, News items, and the course syllabus or schedule.
Release course elements and deadlines on the same day and time each week. For
example, weekly assignments are due on Mondays at noon, CST.
Use a variety of assignments/activities (web searches, group projects, videos, games,
etc.). Try to avoid the text reading, lecture, quiz syndrome. Student engagement will
increase based on the variety of activities provided. Use group activities, using the
Group function.
Video content can replace lectures. You can add audio to your Power Points. Provide
lecture notes, outlines, etc.
Format for documents: html is best, but pdf’s are good. The current D2L BRIGHTSPACE
html editor is less limited in formatting options than previous versions.
If your textbook publisher has a website with exercises or other items that you will use,
drive all activities via D2L BRIGHTSPACE, using links to publisher software OR some
publisher sites are fully integrated with D2L BRIGHTSPACE and you can use the
Course Builder tool to create. We suggest you work with us if you are using Mindtap
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from Cengage or other publisher’s content that integrates fully with D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Brightspace.
Content / Introduction Week: In addition to the “Introductions” Discussion, one online instructor makes a “Scavenger Hunt” assignment in which students must navigate throughout the course, looking for the item assigned, and documenting the location in which they found the item in an email to the instructor. (A syllabus quiz is another common practice for Introduction week so that students can practice using the quiz tool.) Content: One instructor makes closing and or due deadlines for each assignment (discussions, quizzes, homework) not only the same day and time of each week, but at a time the instructor is usually available (e.g.: not midnight!). This allows her to receive and return frantic emails or calls from students who are completing their work just before the deadline.
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Q U A L I T Y M A T T E R S ™ , C O M M O N C O U R S E O U T L I N E S , S T U D E N T L E A R N I N G
O U T C O M E S
Objectives:
1. Describe the purpose and process for QM course reviews.
2. Locate your Common Course Outline.
3. Write a student learning outcome using an appropriate performance verb.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Quality Matters™ Introduction
Quality Matters is a national organization with the goal of ensuring quality in the design of online
courses. At QM’s center is a researched based, continuously improved rubric by which courses
can be reviewed. The process is faculty-instigated and collaborative, with a team of 3 reviewers
assigned to review each course and provide feedback. It is the course designer’s option to
incorporate the feedback and re-submit their course for final review.
Normandale has incorporated an informal review process and rubric for several years, and we
now have the opportunity, through MnSCU, to be part of QM. We are attempting to train faculty
through QM to be reviewers, and promote the opportunity for faculty to submit their course for
peer review. Faculty obtains a “certification” of course quality from QM, and becomes part of an
ever-growing group of faculty nationally to have their courses reviewed and certified.
Using the QM rubric will promote the College’s goals of increasing student retention, increasing
student engagement, and ensuring the quality of online courses.
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To Find Your Common Course Outline:
1) On the Normandale website Homepage, search for Common Course Outlines
2) There you will find your department and the common course outline, listed
alphabetically.
3) Click on the link to your course, and it will open as a .PDF file
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Student Learning Outcomes
Why Use SLOs?
1. They’re the key to aligning your content and your assessments.
2. They ensure no irrelevant content is taught, and that all relevant content is taught.
3. They communicate your instructional intent to your students and other audiences.
4. They help clarify which assessment methods to use.
5. They provide a basis for interpreting assessment results.
Characteristics of a good SLO: A well-written SLO articulates what the student will be able to do at the end of a learning period.
There is only one verb.
Verb is observable / “experience-able” and measurable.
The desired level of learning is appropriate.
It is not stated as a teaching and learning activity.
A “product” – not a process – of learning is stated.
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning
Introduction
Your outcomes not only describe the performance (verb) you’re looking for, but by using the appropriate verb, your outcome describes the level of learning you’re looking for, which is the critical tool to ensure alignment of outcomes, assessments, and teaching and learning activities. Benjamin Bloom created a taxonomy or hierarchy for learning outcomes that describe the cognitive level of the desired outcome: For example, identifying whether a sentence is complete is a lower level skill than creating a complete sentence. Bloom’s taxonomy is used world-wide as the most practical method of classifying the learning level of an outcome.
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Learning Outcomes Example Using Bloom’s Taxonomy The following outcomes are from, or adapted from, the Common Course Outline for Freshman Composition.
Level of Learning Learning Outcome
Remembering List the steps in the writing process (prewriting, organizing, drafting, revising,
and editing).
Understanding Select appropriate supporting examples and details for a thesis statement.
Applying Use all steps in the writing process, from prewriting to revision.
Analyzing Think critically, analyzing diverse points of view to identify the values,
assumptions, and beliefs that motivate those viewpoints.
Evaluating Read as writers, identifying how written texts are constructed and
determining whether a writer’s choices are effective, given the writing
situation.
Creating Participate productively in a collaborative writing group to produce a
persuasive paper that supports the thesis statement.
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Bloom’s Taxonomy
Remembering: can the student recall or remember the information?
Understanding: can the student explain ideas or concepts?
Applying: can the student correctly use the information in a real situation?
Analyzing: can the student distinguish between different concepts, compare two concepts for differences and similarities?
Evaluating: can the student make a decision about the validity of an opinion or decision?
Creating: can the student create new product or point of view? Can the student form a new concept from two other concepts?
Creating
Evaluating
Analyzing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering
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Examples of Action Verbs
Level of Learning Key Verbs
Remembering: recall[s] data or information.
Defines, describes, identifies, labels lists,
matches, names, outlines, recalls, recognizes,
reproduces, selects, states
Understanding: understand[s] the meaning,
translation, interpolation, and interpretation of
instructions and problems. State[s] a problem in
one’s own words.
Comprehends, converts, defends, distinguishes,
estimates, extends, generalizes, gives examples,
infers, paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, translates
Applying: Use[s] a concept in a new situation or
unprompted use of an abstraction. Apply[ies]
what was learned in the classroom into novel
situations…
Applies, changes, computes, constructs,
demonstrates, discovers, manipulates, modifies,
operates, predicts, prepares, produces, relates,
shows, solves, uses
Analyzing: Separate[s] material or concepts into
component parts so that its organizational
structure may be understood. Distinguishes
between facts and inferences.
Analyzes, breaks down, compares, contrasts,
diagrams, deconstructs, differentiates,
distinguishes, illustrates, infers, outlines, selects,
separates.
Evaluating: Make[s] judgments about the value
of ideas or materials.
Appraises, compares, concludes, contrasts,
criticizes, critiques, defends, discriminates,
evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies relates,
supports
Creating: Builds a structure or pattern from
diverse elements. Put[s] parts together to form a
whole with emphasis on creating a new meaning
or structure.
Categorizes, combines, compiles, composes,
creates devises, designs, generates, organizes,
plans, rearranges, reconstructs, reorganizes,
writes
______________________________________________________________________ Overbaugh, R. C. & Schultz, L. (n.d.).Bloom’s Taxonomy. Retrieved from
http://ww2.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm, adapted
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Active Learning / Bloom: One hybrid instructor uses Active Learning to begin in-class periods. Groups are assigned to compete in games (like first to finish a crossword puzzle, or first to finish a fill-in-the-blank worksheet) to develop excitement and camaraderie among the students. Check out the terrific Bloom's Interactive Wheel: http://community.wvu.edu/~lsm018/Articulate%20Blooms%20Wheel/blooms_wheel.html iPadogy Wheel Site: http://taismtech.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-pedagogy-wheel-blooms-taxonomy.html
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A C C E S S I B L E C O N T E N T , U P L O A D I N G , A N D M A N A G E F I L E S
Objectives:
1. Complete an accessibility check in Microsoft Word.
2. Identify at least two ways you can make your online materials accessible.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Accessible Course Design
What Do I Need To Know To Design My Accessible Course? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the term reasonable accommodation
provides the legal foundation for providing accessible technology. Accessibility and accommodation are words often used interchangeably, but they have two different meanings. An example of an accommodation is changing a cubicle setup to accommodate an employee in a wheelchair. An accommodation is focused on the individual. Accessibility, on the other hand is focused on the technology used by everyone. Everyone, regardless of their disability status uses the same technology (hardware or software) and has access to the same information.
A curb cut makes a great example of an accessible adaptation to the sidewalk. Curb
cuts were installed to accommodate accessible hardware, but are used by bicyclists and parents with strollers or shopping carts. What was once considered an accommodation is now viewed as a standard for sidewalks to have curb cuts. Accessible transcripts or closed captioning is used by hearing impaired persons so they can understand corresponding audio or video files, but people use closed captions on videos at work so they don’t disturb their co-workers while they’re watching a research tutorial, or that people may like to use their keyboard for everything rather than using a mouse.
People who are color deficient need information conveyed without the use of color
alone to convey contextual meaning, but many people print in black and white, so other ways of distinguishing material is essential. Accessibility is the feature that allows not only screen readers, but screen magnification, speech recognition and other assistive technologies to interpret data and display it in multiple fashions. Students with disabilities represent about 11% of all post-secondary students. Some disabilities are not immediately apparent, such as learning disabilities, dyslexia, emotional or psychological disorders, and chronic health conditions.
Curb Cut Video from MNIT http://www.mncdhh.org/technology/442/video-the-electronic-curb-cut
Keep these tips in mind for creating accessible content easily:
1. Create Accessible course material from the beginning! Learn a new way today!
2. Older courses that need to be made accessible: Use the philosophy of you touch it—you
change it. It can become overwhelming, so do a little at a time and learn new Word
techniques to create accessible documents. Get videos and audio transcripts created—
ask for help from ITS or Disability Services early—before you are notified a student
needs accessible content!
3. Learning a new way to create content will take time and patience, but in the end, these
changes will save you time and make your content look much better. Be patient with
yourself as you learn and feel free to drop by the PDC and ask questions
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How do I get started?
4. The first step is to make sure you order your textbooks early and always ask for a desk
copy and or editable versions. Make your course accessible while you develop it, before
you receive an accommodation notice! Accidents, illness, and age related disorders
create needs quickly and you can be prepared.
5. When selecting/creating your textbook/course materials:
a. Ask the publisher and or manufacturer for a Voluntary Product Accessibility
Template (VPAT). If you can’t remember VPAT, simply ask the publisher
representative for an Accessibility Statement for software and or materials.
b. If the publisher/manufacturer does not have a VPAT, ask for a trial version and
work with Professional Development Center (L1735) PDC and Disability Services
staff to determine the accessibility before purchase. We are required to purchase
and use accessible content by both Federal section 504/508 and Minnesota
State governance 3.302 Legislative references.
c. If the product you have selected is not accessible or just parts of it are
accessible, plan on using either an alternative product or plan on creating other
accessible materials that will mean an equal access opportunity.
d. Select or create captioned or include transcripts with audio and video materials.
Type a script before you record your own materials and you have designed the
material accessible from the beginning! Get help creating accessible content
from PDC staff.
6. Include a statement in your syllabus to refer students to the Disability Services Office.
7. Disability Access Statement
Need for Assistance: If you have any condition, such as a physical or learning disability, which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work I have outlined, or which will require academic accommodations, notify me as soon as possible.
It is College policy to make reasonable accommodations to ensure access for qualified individuals with disabilities. contact Disability Access Services by e-mailing [email protected] or via telephone (952) 358-8623 for a confidential discussion of your individual need for academic accommodations.
Where Can I Get Help? Help is available in the Professional Development Center, PDC, located in L1735. Any of the Online Learning Department staff can help you with designing your online material accessible. Designing material accessible from the beginning will save you time later on.
Creating Accessible Online Content Many resources are available for you to begin creating accessible online content.
Scanning materials PDF Files have built-in screen reading software and can be read without adaptive software, such as JAWS (a screen reading software application most popular with blind users).
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Scan your original documents, but make sure that you use an OCR (optical character recognition) option on your scanner so that the words are read as text and not as a large image. Make sure that your document to be scanned is free from marks and is easy to read. A screen reader will not read a document that is scanned as an Image file. Activate the Read Out Loud feature in Adobe PDF to see if your scanned document is readable.
Quick Tips
Word Assigning structure to your content provides important information to the computer about how the content is organized. It allows users to efficiently navigate through the document, and fully utilize the content. If you create an accessible Word document, when you click File>SaveAs (not the SaveAs PDF Option), scroll and find PDF, name your document, and Save, your newly created PDF is accessible.
Within MS Word Run an Accessibility Check (File>Check for issues>Check
Accessibility>Use the Accessibility Checker)
Styles are used for title, headings, and all subheadings and to bold or emphasize
important text.
Styles are used for bulleted and numerical list items.
Styles are used for the table of contents.
Columns feature is used for laying text out in multiple columns.
DRAFT, date, version, or title information is in the central document, not just header
and/or footer areas.
Table headings and data cells are organized logically.
Tables have the header row assigned.
Tables have a bookmark assigned in the top left cell.
Hyperlink names are meaningful, and are subject-oriented instead of Click Here
Hyperlink URL addresses begin with http:// or https:// instead of just www.abc.com
Fill-in forms are meaningfully and logically organized, and include form-fields
PDF Using Adobe Acrobat Pro Run an Accessibility Report
Set the document language
Add/change tags as necessary
Check the TouchUp Reading Order Tool
Add Alterative Text to images
Add Alt Text to links
Use the Table Editor
Know accessibility friendly security
Other Resources A complete Campus Access manual is located, with pictures, at the Minnesota Learning
Commons Accessibility Workgroup site, select Classroom Training Materials:
http://www.normandale.edu/onlineeducation/mnlcaccess2014/
MnIT has Accessible Word 2010 video tutorials available for you to learn how to make your documents accessible. http://mn.gov/oet/governance/for-agencies/accessibility
Explore WebAim resources to learn even more! www.webaim.org
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Training Opportunities Contact Online Learning or stop by the Professional Development Center in L1735 on campus. For additional training and or help getting your materials accessible! Would you like to schedule training for your department meeting? Contact: Sheri Hutchinson 952.358.8802 Director of Online Learning [email protected] D2L BRIGHTSPACE Accessibility Feature
Users Account Settings
Users who rely on screen readers may have issues submitting their quizzes in D2L BRIGHTSPACE if secondary windows are not set to open as pop-ups. You can find this setting under Your Name (for example John Smith, located on the top right) > Account Settings (using the dropdown arrow).
Once you get into the dialog box, choose Pop-ups
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Creating HTML Content
Apply Headings – Apply Headings to provide bookmarks for screen readers. Paste from Word – Accessible Word Documents will convert into accessible HTML.
Color Contrast Validators
IE Web Accessibility Toolbar – (Free) http://www.paciellogroup.com/node/18?q=node/22 Snook.Ca (Web based Contrast Checker) http://snook.ca/archives/other/colour-contrast-updated
Closed Captioning Programs: CaptionSync – (Upload or Send video to be captioned) http://www.automaticsync.com/captionsync/ YouTube – (Upload Transcript – Output Closed Captioning) http://youtube.com OverStream – (Web Basted Free Subtitling Tool) http://www.overstream.net iMovie – (Subtitling) http://www.wondershare.com/imovie/add-subtitles-in-imovie.html Camtasia -– Closed Captioning Capabilities Captivate -– Closed Captioning Capabilities
Document Checkers
Microsoft Accessibility Checker – (Only in Office 2010 for Windows – Word / PPT / Excel) Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Checker – (Only in Acrobat 9+)
Tutorial Video – How to use Microsoft Accessibility Checker
www.state.mn.us/mn/forms/oetweb/accessibility/word-accessibility-training/index.htm
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A C T I V E L E A R N I N G A N D B L O O M ’ S L E V E L S O F L E A R N I N G
Objectives:
3. Define Active Learning.
4. Identify active learning opportunities that match the level of your student learning
outcome.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Active Learning
“We might think of active learning as an approach to instruction in which students engage the material they study through reading, writing, talking, listening, and reflecting. Active learning stands in contrast to "standard" modes of instruction in which teachers do most of the talking and students are passive.” University of Minnesota Active Learning Classroom study (2014). “[involving] students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing.” Bonwell and Eison (1991): L. Dee Fink expands on this and calls it, "A Holistic View of Active Learning".
A Holistic View of Active Learningi
Best Practice: Use all three categories to teach the Learning Outcome (Objective). Experience-Reflective Dialogue-Information and Ideas Fink, “A Self-Directed Guide adapted from Figure 5, p.17.
Experience
Information &
Ideas
Reflective
Dialogue
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Teaching & Learning Activities: Examples
Passive Learning: Receiving Information and Ideas • Lectures
• Power Points
• Text Book
• Videos
• Demonstration
• Original Data and Sources
Active Learning Components
• Active Learning Activities: Involving students in doing things and
thinking about the things they are doing.
• Discussions
• Debates
• Group Projects
• Case Studies
• Role-Play
• Simulations
• Reflection Activities: Students think about what they’ve learned and
how they learned it.
• Journals
• Muddiest Point
• Discussions
• Before/After Learning Observations
Best Practice: Use all 3 types of learning to teach the outcome.
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Active Learning Resources
The Learning Activity Library in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
On the home page of your course, please click the “Edit Course” link in the upper right
navigation bar, then on “Learning Activity Library” under the “Site Resources” heading.
You have now accessed the library. Please note that, if depending on the number of activities per page set, you may have multiple pages of activities. I think there are about sixty activities.
Please click on the dropdown arrow next to an activity name to read a description of the activity, instructions for use, its purpose (assessment or “content,” meaning learning activity), the cognitive skills addressed, and the specific instructional strategy within D2L BRIGHTSPACE to which it is applicable. Remember, these activities may be suitable for the online environment, the face-to-face environment, or both!
The Cognitive Skills column is based on Bloom’s Levels of Learning. This is D2L BRIGHTSPACE’s suggestion for what activity type might address what level of learning. The box color and the placement order of the box refer to a different level (hover on them to see which is which). There are often all 6 or a number of boxes shown – this indicates that the activity type can be used for all or more than one level, based on your content and learning outcome level. MNSCU ASA has courses available for you to get started teaching online and honing your active learning lessons
http://www.asa.mnscu.edu/facultydevelopment/project-sites/ctlactiveonline/index.html Brigham Young University provides an easy to follow site to learn more about instructional strategies for active learning.
http://ctl.byu.edu/active-learning-ideas
This website has active learning suggestions based on categories: debate and discussion,
learning by doing, quality questions and reflective activities. It also has an overview of
cooperative and team-based learning, problem-based learning and service learning.
https://web.archive.org/web/20120102040403/http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/index
.html
This web site organizes active learning ideas into one of five “instructional strategies”, each
having multiple “Instructional Methods” or learning activity descriptions.
The top five links (in the yellow boxes) are the instructional strategies. These are fairly
universal categories, though often named differently. When you click on a strategy, you’ll
see its definition, and then a list of links for each “method” or activity that fits the specific
strategy. For example, the first method for Direct Instruction is “Structured Overview.” If you
click on the method, you’ll see a description of it, its purpose, and a “how-to.”
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The sixth and seventh links in the yellow boxes are useful too. You can get an alphabetical
list of ALL the methods/activities described, or a list of all the five strategies, followed by the
relevant methods/activities.
Individual Learning Activity/Game Builders
Poll Everywhere: http://www.polleverywhere.com/ You ask a question, students answer on
their mobile devices. Responses are displayed live in Power Point or the web.
Crossword (and other) puzzle maker:
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/free-puzzlemaker/?CFID=10403918&CFTOKEN=74741956
The easiest way to enter words and clues is to first enter them into a Word document, and then copy and paste them into the puzzle maker (editing online isn’t easy).You can then edit mistakes in the document and copy and paste changes into the puzzle maker, saving it on your H drive. You can’t save the puzzle in the website and go back and edit it. Lodestar (exercise and content creation): available in the PDC and can be installed on your
work computer. It includes many game builders.
Other Resources
Minnesota State University Mankato. (2005-2013). Teaching Strategies. Retrieved from
http://www.mnsu.edu/its/academic/strategies.html
Regents of the University of Minnesota. (2011). Instructional Strategies. Retrieved from
http://www.ncset.org/topics/instructional/default.asp?topic=14
Regents of the University of Minnesota. (2006-2013). What is Active Learning? Center for
Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/active/what/index.html
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Accessing D2L BRIGHTSPACE’s Learning Activity Library
Instructions for accessing the Learning Activity Library in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
On the home page of one of your courses, click the Edit Course link on the navigation bar.
Next, click on the Learning Activity Library link under the Site Resources heading
You have now accessed the library. Note: depending on the number of activities per page set, you may have multiple pages of activities.
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View the activity by clicking View from the dropdown menu.
This will open up the purpose, category, description, and instructions for the activity. Remember, these activities may be suitable for the online environment, the face-to-face environment, or both! Click Close to exit.
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C O M M U N I C A T I O N : C H A T
Objective:
1. Describe two uses for the chat.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Setting up a Chat in D2L BRIGHTSPACE The Chat Tool in D2L BRIGHTSPACE can be used to conduct office hours or for any synchronous communication.
1. To create a chat, login to your course then click Communications.
2. Click Chat.
3. Select New Chat
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4. Title your chat.
5. Select a chat type. General Chats are automatically open for anyone who is enrolled in
the class. Personal Chats allow you to customize who from your course can participate
in that particular chat.
6. Enter a description for your chat. This is what learners in your course will see.
7. Click Create to finish creating your chat.
Chat: One instructor creates a personal chat (scheduled via email) with each student enrolled in the course, either just before the semester begins, or in the first week. The instructor reported that doing this alone made positive difference in the number of “drops” from the course.
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C O M M U N I C A T I O N : C L A S S L I S T , E - M A I L , U S E R P R O G R E S S
Objectives:
1. Add participants to the classlist.
2. Use enrollment statistics to determine last day of attendance.
3. State the number to use (and where to enter it) to ensure all students will receive a class
email.
4. Find User Progress via Edit Course and explain the difference between Edit
Course/User Progress and Classlist / User Progress.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Classlist
The Classlist tool allows you to view all users currently enrolled, check who is online, and
communicate by sending them emails. It also provides information about your students such as
enrollment statistics (who has withdrawn) and user progress. To access Classlist, click on
Communications and then Classlist.
From this window we can Add Participants, check Enrollment Statistics, send E-mail, use a
tab to divide identify who is instructor vs. student by the User Tabs, search for a student or
teacher, send a Page, Print, Enroll, and Unenroll. From the dropdown arrow next to the name
you can view progress, view shared locker files, view group enrollments, and view blog. The
green dot next to a user’s name means that person is logged into D2L BRIGHTSPACE, but may
not necessarily be in your course.
The Add Participants button enables you to enroll additional users to your course. The roles
available are 1Student, 2Teacher, and Student Leader.
To enroll someone in your course:
1. Click on Add Participants.
2. Click on Add an Existing User.
3. In the Search For box, type the
techID or firstname lastname of
the user to enroll.
4. Click Search.
5. Place a checkmark in front of the
correct user, then under the Role
column, Select a Role to reflect
level needed (i.e. 1Student or
2Teacher).
6. Click Enroll Selected Users.
7. Click Done. You should now see
the new user listed in the
appropriate tab
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Enrollment Statistics
The Enrollment Statistics tool is used to show how many people are enrolled in your course
based upon their role in the class. This is also where you would look to see if students have
dropped or withdrawn from your course or to determine the last date of attendance (LDA) which
is needed for federal financial aid reporting.
To access the Enrollment Statistics, click the Enrollment Statistics button located at the top
of the Classlist screen. When you are finished viewing, click Done to return to your Classlist.
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From the Classlist you can send a message to a single individual, a select group, or send a
message to your entire class.
To send an e-mail:
1. Select the users who will receive
the message
2. Click one of the three e-mail
links
3. Enter your message in the
Compose New Message dialog
box
4. If you are sending to a large
classlist, change your per page
option to 200. You may need to
send multiple messages if your
classlist consists of more than 200
users. To do this copy your
message, navigate to Page 2 and
select all users, then paste your
message and click Send
5. Click Send to send the e-mail
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From the Classlist, you can also send a Page (not frequently used), Print your Classlist, and
change roles for users in your course.
To change enrollment role:
Select Lastname, First Name from the list
Click Enrollment
Select from New Role dropdown menu the role needed
Click Save.
To unenroll users:
Select Lastname, First Name from the list
Click Unenroll
Click Yes to confirm unenrollment
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From the Classlist, you can also View progress, View shared locker files, View group
enrollments, and View blogs. An explanation of each of these follows:
View Progress – gives you the ability to
see a progress summary report of all
activity for an individual student. This
would include but not be limited to Content
activity, Grades, Discussion postings, etc.
View shared locker files – gives you
the ability to view progress on shared
documents being worked on by a group
of students
View group enrollments – gives you
the ability to quickly identify which group
a student is currently enrolled in. View blog – gives you access to view the student’s blog postings. Students would need
to have created a blog first and made the blog public so you can view. Select
Communication and Blog to get started.
From the View User Progress link, is a way to view how your students are doing in say
discussions. User Progress has Desire2Learn has made some changes to viewing User
Progress. They have streamlined it to make it easier for you to find progress information about
your students. If you go to your Classlist, select the dropdown arrow next to the student whose
progress you want to view, and then click View Progress, you can see an entire progress
summary of that individual student.
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To see individual activity items, select from the left column. For examples, see the Content and
Discussions image above.
You can look at their Progress Summary as a whole in the right column. You can also filter
their progress based on the last 30 days or by the last 7 days.
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If you go to the left column, you can also look at User Progress by these individual items. This
makes it easier for you to navigate through the individual item summary for the selected student.
Once you have looked at your student’s progress, you can send an email or an instant message
to that student. You also can print the student’s Progress Summary
The User Progress tool provides activity reports about student’s active courses. At the course
level, you can choose which reports you want to present to the student. Student viewing options
include Grades, Objectives, Content, Discussions, Dropbox, Quizzes, Checklist, Surveys,
and Login History progress reports.
What if I want to see my whole class progress in the list?
The View User Progress (Class Progress) tool can be found in the Edit Course - Learner
Management section of your course. The Class Progress tool provides a performance
dashboard for you to use to monitor student performance using any 4 chosen Performance
Indicators from a selection of 9.
Select Edit Course
Select View User Progress
From the Class Progress tool you can see all of the users within the course. To see basic
statistical information about a particular student, hover over the Indicators’ charts. A popup box
will give a summary of activity for that Indicator. To get more detailed information about the
indicator, simply click on the graph and it will open the student’s user progress page regarding
that Indicator. You can click through their user progress information including all their other
course data progress, and then to return to the full classlist, simply select Class Progress in
the upper-left corner of the left column. It is a nice way to go through and see all the discussions
and replies for a student or to look at content viewed before you head into class!
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Classlist / Email / User Progress: A face-to-face instructor uses a print of the Classlist to easily take attendance each class period. UserProgress—Select the Edit Course and the User Progress tool when you are doing face to face sessions with a student (office hours) and then select the students name. You never have to go anywhere else in D2L Brightspace to get to the students work and potentially expose other private student data to the student you are working with—ie grades!!
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To customize the Class Progress dashboard:
Click on Edit Course
Click on View User Progress (Learner Management section)
Click on Settings (upper right of window) to replace or rearrange indicators in the grid
To replace a particular indicator, click the down-arrow next to the item, [i.e. Login
History (Last 30 days)] then select Replace
Choose from the list of other Progress Indicators available
You can reorder the Indicators by again selecting the down-arrow to move into
position
Click Save and then Close
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A S S E S S M E N T : G R A D E S
Objectives:
1. List three types of questions that can be created in D2L BRIGHTSPACE.
2. Find the two check boxes to show quiz grades automatically in the gradebook.
3. State the procedure for releasing adjusted grades to students.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Setup Wizard to configure a Gradebook
The first time you open a new course and enter the grades area, the set-up wizard will
appear. The next few steps will show how to use the set-up wizard at the start of each
semester to configure your gradebook. Once you have categories and items in a
gradebook, you will be able to copy those into the next semester, but you will need to
perform a configuration of your gradebook at the start of each semester too. Let’s begin
by using the Grades Set-up Wizard.
Select Assessments
Click Grades
To access the grade setup wizard:
Select Assessments
Click Grades
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The current gradebook settings are shown if the gradebook wizard has been run before, and
you can always run the set up wizard by choosing the setup wizard tab.
Click Start to begin.
Step 1 of 7 shows the three different types of grading systems:
Weighted
Points
Formula
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There are two elements of a good gradebook to keep in mind when developing for optimal
display and organization purposes:
1.) Categories: (discussions, assignments, exams, quizzes, etc.)
2.) Items: (Quiz 1, Discussion 1, Essay assignment on birds, etc.)
Weighted system
Use the Weighted system if you want categories of course activities graded as a percentage.
Example:
Assignments (Category) (40% of final grade) - Item 1 (50% of Assignments Category) -
Item 2 (50% of Assignments category)
Discussions (20%) (10 pts each- x 15 weeks—equal distribution of points across the
category)
Final Project (20%)
Exam (20% of Final)
Final Grade = /100%
The Max Points assigned to an individual item can be any value, but their contribution toward
the category they belong to and the final grade is the percentage value (weight) assigned to
them. Grade items that reside in a category count as a percentage of that category, not of the
final grade—only the category percentage counts towards the final grade. Grade items in a
category combine to a weight of 100 for that category. E.g., a category such as Quizzes could
be worth 20% of final grade. If it contains two equally weighted quizzes, each quiz would be
weighted 50%.
There is an option to distribute evenly across the category grade items and most faculty select
this, otherwise you MUST hand calculate the percentage of each item in the category. Typically,
try to keep the points equal in the category. Having the same points for each item makes it
easier when students ask you questions about how they are doing in that category. Hand
calculation example to show you to be cautious in your syllabus when using weighted.
Assignments 45% (10/45, 15, 20) (Distributed evenly 33% each-22,33,45 rounded)
Quizzes 15%
Participation 10%
Attendance 10%
Final Exam 20%
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Points system
Within the Points System grade items are worth a certain number of points that are totaled for
a final grade Example:
Assignments Category (100 points) - Item 1 (100 points) - Item 2 (100 points)
Discussions (150 points)
Final Project (150 points)
Exams (200 points)
Final Grade = /800
Formula system
The Formula system defines a custom formula for how grade items contribute to a final grade
that lets you set conditions on grade items. Example: If a user's score on any item is below
60%, then the user automatically fails the course. The formula would be: IF{ MIN{
[ITEM1.Percent], [ITEM2.Percent], [ITEM3.Percent] } < 60, 0, 100 }
This workshop assumes the Formula option is an advanced topic and does not address it.
Step 2 – Final Grade Released
You have two options when regarding releasing your final grades.
Calculated Final Grade – based upon a formula preset in the gradebook and cannot be
adjusted without editing grade item scores.
Adjusted Final Grades – allows modifications to occur before releasing them. The advantage
of using this option is that you can round a grade up or down a grade item. For example, if a
student receives an 89.6 on a grade item, you may wish to round it up to a 90, or you may be
someone who manually enters grade items, then you will want to use the adjusted so you are
able to enter the grades.
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Step 3: Grade Calculations
You can choose to drop ungraded items or to count them as zeroes until the student does the
assignment. It is suggested you drop ungraded so that items at the beginning of the semester
won’t have an F for their final grade. The system would put zero’s in all the items until
completed.
Auto Update
Auto Update is really a personal grading preference and we could spend 20 minutes just
talking the pedagogy (strategy) behind keeping the grade updated and not.
If you use calculated grading, you may wish to check the Automatically keep final grade
updated.
If you use adjusted grade calculations, you may wish to not check this because of
multiple reasons.
These are certainly not rules and you certainly may use adjusted and use Automatically keep
final grade calculated. You can switch between calculated and adjusted and can turn on this
feature at any time, so you have a great deal of freedom with this option. Here is a D2L
BRIGHTSPACE Definition of Auto Update:
“When any change is made that affects the final grade calculations (i.e. modifying a user's
grade, changing the 'bonus' property of a grade item) the final calculated grade will recalculate
automatically. If this option is not checked, the final calculated grade must be manually
recalculated. Out of date final calculated grades are indicated with a calculator icon. You maybe
release the grades to be shown at mid-term and or other times of the semester.”
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Step 4: Choose Default Grading Scheme
By choosing any one of the options in the graphic presented next, you can set up the display of
your gradebook. For example, you can choose percentages and this will show the gradebook in
percentages. This is the selection by default. However, say you are teaching students in the
nursing department and you set up your gradebook as 93-85-78-77 you can do that too. Just
choose the option above Pass-Fail. The wizard provides you with an option to test the grade
scheme to ensure you have the settings to your preference.
A commonly selected grade scheme is 90-80-70-60.
Step 5: Managing View Display options (instructor view)
This will allow you to set up how many decimal points shown in your gradebook. It is
recommended that you keep the defaults so you can see how the student is doing.
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Step 6: Student View Display Options
The Student View Display Options are comprised of:
Grade details how the grade looks to the student.
Points grade determines whether or not the points grade value associated with a grade
item is displayed in the student view of grades.
Grade scheme symbol has a grade symbol associated with the points such as A, B, C,
D, and F.
Grade scheme color can be color coded and can only be active if the Grade scheme
symbol is active.
Number of decimals is default set at 2 decimals.
Characters displayed are how many characters are displayed in your gradebook
heading. The default is 15 but that can be changed based upon your needs. However, if
this number is larger than 15 it may make for lengthy scrolling in the gradebook.
Final grade calculation allows the student to view their final grade.
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Step 7: Grades Setup Summary
Shows an overview of what options you chose while in the wizard.
Click Finish to complete your set-up
You can see how the gradebook looks to your students.
Click on a student’s name
Select the dropdown arrow
Click Preview
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You can sort your students by First Name or Last Name and it changes each time you
click.
Click either First Name or Last Name
You can change how many records you view at once.
Click the 50 per page
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Add categories and items to a Gradebook
Your gradebook is broken into two elements, categories and grade items.
Remember from earlier:
1.) Categories: (discussions, assignments, exams, quizzes)
2.) Items: (Quiz 1, Discussion 1, Essay assignment on birds)
A category is used to facilitate organization within the gradebook. This would be the overall title
of grouped items such as Quizzes, which would include Quiz 1, Quiz 2, etc.
To create a Category
Select Manage Grades
Click New
Select Category
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Name Your Category
Always start at the top of the dialog box and work your way down slowly so you don’t
miss an important area.
Type in the name of your category, example Discussions
Skip the short title
If it is a weighted system, you can select the Distribution
Click Save and Close or Save and New if you want to create the next Category for
your gradebook
Tips: Grading section.
o Can exceed – give extra points on an item, like optional essay questions,
but remember that Bonus items are not in a category and are not in a
grade item.
o Exclude from Final Grade Calculation (practice section/category)
o Drop the lowest 2– say you give 10 quizzes and want to drop the lowest
two.
Distribution tips:
Manually assign your own weight to each category
Distribute weight according to the points assigned for each grade item in a category—
sometimes you may have strange issues with this option, so make certain it is
calculating correctly.
Distribute weights across all grade items in each category is the most used option and
no matter how many points each item in a category is, D2L BRIGHTSPACE will
calculate the percentage out of a hundred each item is equally.
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Grade Items
Grade items are the names of each activity you have a student complete. You could
have only items in a gradebook, but it would be very difficult to read a gradebook with
only items and understand, as a student, if you completed all the work because your
gradebook would be very disorganized.
To create a new Item:
Select Manage Grades
Click New
Select Item
Typically you will have a value for your grade item so this section will walk you through
the most common way of creating a grade item
Select Numeric
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This workshop assumes the Select Box, Pass/Fail, Formula, Calculated, and Text
options are advanced topics.
Always start at the top of the dialog box and work your way down the options slowly.
Type in the name of your item, example Discussion 1
Skip the short title
Use the drop down arrow and select your Category
Enter the Maximum points for the grade item
Click Save and Close or Save and New if you want to create the next Grade Item for
setting up your gradebook
Advanced options in a Grade Item:
Can Exceed means that the point value can exceed what was originally set in the Max
Points. If you want to give extra credit points.
Bonus specific type of grade item. Don’t check it if you are just creating a normal item.
Bonus items are always kept separately.
Rubrics are an advanced topic and this workshop does not address it. Make an
appointment and we will help you create your first rubric.
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Tips:
Max Points are set to 10 as a default.
Display Options show what the student sees.
Now let’s take a look in the Manage Grades and see what our gradebook looks like in a
simplified table format:
Select Manage Grades
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Let’s say you have an item at the bottom of your list that is not in a category, but you wanted it
to go into the Discussions category. You click on the item you want to move, in this case
Hearing Sirens, which is located at the bottom of your list of grade Categories and Items.
Click the box next to the item name (Hearing Sirens)
Click Edit
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Edit Items and Categories Dialog box appears
Click the dropdown field and choose Discussion Cateory
Click Save
Now the Hearing Sirens grade item is now in a category.
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Release grades to students
To Release Calculated Final Grade you first click on the dropdown next to Calculated Final
Grade field.
Choose Grade All
Optional Ideas with D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Milestone Grade Calculation
If you are using the weighted grading system, you will see a new option to add a Milestone Grade Calculation. You select the Grade Items you wish to include. You could use this for checkpoints along the semester. If you can predict that students who do not score high on your first couple of assignments, you could use the milestone to then ensure these students are then contacted to receive additional help, such as tutoring, to be able to successfully complete your course. You can also use this for mid-term grades, or for competency completion points (such as in Nursing) that are mandatory.
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Advanced Users Quiz Grading Publish and UnPublish to Gradebook
We often have faculty contact us because they either needed to update a quiz that is reporting to the gradebook or maybe they didn’t check the quiz set-up functions to send the grades to the gradebook. When these things happen, you must un-publish and republish the results from the D2L BRIGHTSPACE Quiz. See the image showing the quiz set-up functions below.
allow automatic export to grades
allow attempt to be graded immediately upon completion checkboxes.
Go to Assessment and Quizzes. You do not do this from the gradebook.
Select the arrow and choose Grade
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Hint: Make sure you have all your students selected. The default is 10!! You don’t want to repeat this for each page. Set the number to 200 if you have large classes.
Check the box to select all
Click the Published tree on the right. You will see the boxes below deselect
Click Save
Check the box to select all again
Click the Published tree on the right. You will see the boxes now selected
Click Save
Gradebook: For any grade item that must be manually graded (like Dropbox or Discussions); the instructor doesn’t release each students’ grade as she grades it, but waits to “release all” until all items are graded. Note: The more grade items you have in a gradebook--the larger it becomes, the less students you will be able to have per page to scroll through the gradebook in spreadsheet mode.
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Go back to the gradebook and look for the eye next to each grade. The eye indicates your
grades are visible to your students.
Grades identify Hidden Final Grades with a slash through the eye now!
Check Release Calculated Final Grade
Click Save.
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Exporting Grades
At some schools, the registrar will want an exported copy of your gradebook emailed at the end
of each semester. You may want to do this as a best practice anyhow and save to your
employee hard drive. NOTE: This is confidential information and you would not want to save this
to portable drives or your computer because of FERPA rights for student private data.
Go to Grades
Click the Export Button
Select the following (you can choose different selections):
User Details: First and Last Name
Points and Grade Scheme
Select all grades to export in Choose Grades to Export
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Click either Export to CSV (Comma Separated Values—which is similar to Excel) or
Export to Excel. Both will go into Excel, but a CSV will only go into a DOS based
program. Choose CSV to be safe (which is compatible with Excel).
The Export Grades dialog box appears. Right-click the hyperlink and select the save
link as option to download the file to your computer and save it to your school’s
personal secure drive. You can now send this file to the Records department, if
required.
Your exported file will look like this, after you open it:
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The Gradebook tool in D2L BRIGHTSPACE is very powerful and this handout just
skims the surface of things you can do with the gradebook. Schedule an appointment
with your IMS Trainer for more advanced use of the gradebook.
NOTE: Beginning in Fall 2015, you will see a new option that will allow the export to ISRS (eServices).This link is located within the eServices Grade submit.
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A S S E S S M E N T : D R O P B O X
Objective:
1. Explain the use of the Dropbox.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Best Practices: Student Feedback
Provide general turn-around time guidelines for different types of assignments in the
syllabus.
Provide positive feedback in addition to negative/corrective feedback.
Provide frequent feedback.
Feedback can be for the whole class, or personal. It’s best to use both methods.
Show examples of exemplary performance (discussion postings, etc.) for students to
model. (If it’s a private assignment, ask permission first.)
Use feedback options in Quizzes, the Dropbox, or the Gradebook.
Dropbox: One instructor titles the Dropbox folders with a short phrase about the content rather than “Week #X Assignment”, as it’s easier for students to remember the topic than which week a particular assignment was from. Tools like Text Expander (free) allow you to have ready-made feedback responses you can insert quickly for repetitive feedback comments. Rubrics are great ways to give feedback and D2L BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace has a rubric tool.
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Dropbox
It is a location where students store their work for you to grade, thereby eliminating the
need for e-mail, fax, or mail. You can have a separate dropbox for each assignment. In
addition, you can return assignments, provide feedback, grade assignments.
There is an icon shaped as a ruler indicating that the dropbox is connected to the
gradebook
To access the dropbox click assessments then click dropbox.
To create a dropbox click New Folder button. You can have categories of dropbox
items and it is recommended if you have many drop boxes, but usually a good naming
structure and ordering the dropbox items according to when you assign them is usually
enough organization.
Connected to Gradebook
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Save and Close, Save and New, Save, and Cancel buttons float, so you don’t need to search to save.
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1. If there isn’t a category
from the gradebook, or you
don’t want items in
categories, skip the
category dropdown.
2. Creating a Grade
Item can be done in
gradebook as well. Enter a
name for the grade item that
you want to see in the
gradebook, or choose the
proper grade item if you
made an item in gradebook
already.
3. Out of is the
maximum number of points
you will give for the dropbox
item.
4. Student View
Preview is how it will look
for the students in the
gradebook.
5. If you have a rubric
you can associate the rubric
to the dropbox item. You
can also create a rubric.
6. Now Save and
Close.
Properties
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1. Click Restrictions
Tab to set up the availability of the dropbox.
2. You can choose: Has Start Date, Has Due Date, and Has End Date. Has Start
Date is when the dropbox is open for submissions. You would use this when you
want to restrict the start date. Has Due Date is when the assignment is due and
submissions after that could still be submitted but shows up in your list in red as
late by the number of days/minutes late. Has End Date is when the dropbox
actually closes for submissions and students can no longer submit to the
dropbox.
3. Release conditions are used if you want a student to post to a discussion, for
example, and gather some information to then post a case in a dropbox.
Select Create a New Release Condition
Select the Condition Type
Restrictions
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4. Special Access is a list of your students and you can select a particular
student,perhaps you have received a special accommodation from Disability
Services and need to give longer drobox time or the same applies to quizzes,
longer testing time to a student. Rarely is there additional time for a dropbox from
OSD. It could be a student stated they were in the hospital and you are giving
them additional time outside the normal time.
Typically it is the Allow Users with Special Access to submit files outside the normal
availability for this folder that is checked and then you check the box next to that
student’s name.
If you select the Only allow users with special access to see this folder, only those
students you select will see the folder.
5. Click Save and Close to save your settings and close the dropbox window.
Note: The final tab, Objectives, is used only if your college has decided to use the
competencies and rubrics tool built into D2L BRIGHTSPACE.
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Dropbox No Submission Feedback This is to enter feedback for students who did not submit anything.
1. Change Submissions to Users without submissions 2. Click Magnifying Glass.
3. Comes up with a list of Students. 4. Click Evaluate.
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5. Put in Student Score. 6. Fill out Feedback. 7. Click Publish.
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Download Submissions and Upload in Bulk
1. Choose Student and select checkbox.
2. Click Download Button.
3. Click Packaged File.
4. Click Dropbox Submission name.
5. Open with Dialog Box appears.
6. Move File to Desktop.
7. Extract File.
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8. Select a Destination and Extract File. 9. Select Extract.
10. Open with associated program such as Word or Adobe Reader.
11. To upload files in bulk or individual, click Add Feedback Files .
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12. Drag and Drop file in to Green area. 13. Make sure Overwrite Duplicate Files is selected, unless you change the name of the
file then deselect. 14. Click Add.
15. Click Close when done.
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Restore a Deleted Dropbox
1. We will delete a dropbox so we can restore it. Click on More Actions and choose
Delete.
2. Choose the dropbox you wish to delete.
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3. Click Delete Selected.
4. Click Delete.
5. Click Event Log from More Actions button.
6. Click Restore Button.
7. Action of Restoring occurs here.
8. Dropbox is Restored.
Due dates, versus End Dates are great for when you are willing to allow late papers or are using drafts inside one dropbox folder. When grading, you can easily see if a student submitted an assignment late and you didn’t have to reopen a dropbox!
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C O M M U N I C A T I O N : D I S C U S S I O N S
Objectives:
1. List three techniques of a good discussion facilitator.
2. List three inter-related components of a making a good discussion.
3. List three attributes of a meaningful discussion question.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Discussions Updates
Video demonstrating the return of Grid View and Reading View Improvements
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJy_ZYTQt2I
Use Account Settings to set Discussions Default View for All Courses
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Can Also Set the Default View from Discussions Settings in Discussion Tool
Grid View has Additional Settings
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Switch between Reading and Grid View from the Discussion Topic
How to Switch Views While Reading
Select View Topic in Reading View Toggle Between Reading View and Grid View
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Assess Posts from Grid View
Assess from the Grade Item
The Most efficient method for assessing discussions is from the grade item
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Print all Posts from all Threads in a Topic
Groups and Discussions
Grading Discussions and using Groups
Many instructors like to separate students into groups for a more manageable discussion size of 4-6 students per topic. This is an advanced topic, but we will briefly cover the essentials for accomplishing this task. Set a Group for the Discussion
Do not use your course ID for a group. Create a separate group for your discussion.
Select New Category
Enter a Category Name and a Description is Optional
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Choose the Enrollment Type (most are groups of a number or number of groups)
Select the Set up discussion areas
Advanced Properties (typically check both Auto-enroll new users and Randomize
users in groups—but know you can select your groups)
Select Save
Select the Forum or Create a New Forum (if you have a forum created) to add the
group discussion
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Select Create and Next
Select Done
Proceed to the Discussion Area
Now you will see the four groups you wanted created are available for you to make edits. Add the directions in the Forum directions area or if each group has different directions, add the directions inside that topic.
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Grading the Discussion
Grading a group discussion is complicated and often times frustrating, but we have a few ideas to accomplish the task. The issue with D2L BRIGHTSPACE is that a grade item may not be shared by multiple discussion groups, but all grade items are visible for all students. You simply do not connect the discussion to an assessment (grade item). In order to grade this way, you would need two windows of D2L BRIGHTSPACE open and would open D2L BRIGHTSPACE in two browsers, Explorer and Firefox. One browser pointing to the discussion itself for you to read and then one to enter grades in the gradebook.
We have a couple of other suggestions for ways to accomplish having a grade item for group discussion topics as follows, without having to create restrictions and having very complicated steps:
1. Create a separate grade item for each group. Discussion 1 Group 1, Discussion 1 Group
2, etc. You will put zeros in for the groups the students are not in and they will see all
groups discussion grade items, but only a grade in theirs. You will need to let students
know this is a system limitation.
2. In the gradebook, set up one grade item and associate with the discussion topic for
Group #1. Enter the grades for Group 1. Then remove the association between that
discussion topic and the grade item, and now associate that same grade item with the
discussion topic for Group 2. And repeat until all groups have had scores added for the
discussion topic.
Both these scenarios are tedious, and especially with #1, you have to do a lot of set up.
We created a demo discussion grade item and tied this to the group 1 to assess topic
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Best Practices for Discussions and Groups Discussions:
Forums can be for communication or content.
Communication Forums:
Create a student lounge (read but typically don't comment in this discussion).
Create a General Course Questions discussion. Anyone can ask anything, and other
students may answer each other. Monitor, and answer questions if necessary.
Content Forums:
Best practice is to provide a discussion every week on the current topic.
3 basic areas to attend to:
o Set the Stage (participation rules, netiquette policy, provide safe, supportive
environment).
o Create a meaningful discussion question or activity (ask high level questions, provide
good content basis (readings, etc.), promote reflection and summarization, relate to
student's personal experiences, set appropriate group sizes, use appropriate grading
rubric).
o Be a good facilitator (stimulate participation and notice non-participation, be
supportive and encouraging, have a facilitator mindset (don't pontificate), use
weaving and summarization to further the discussion).
Use a variety of activities: role plays, debates, small groups discuss and then post a
summary, etc.
Grade or assign points for discussions (either for quantity or quality or both). Show the
rubric to students (post it or a link to it at the forum level).
Decide how many postings (original and two responses to others’ is a frequent practice)
students must make. Be consistent across all discussions.
Due dates for initial post and responses should be the same for every discussion forum.
Suggestion: Allow three days for initial posts; allow three-four days for responses.
Studies show that the more the instructor jumps into a discussion, the less often
students will respond to each other, but if the instructor is "absent", discussions can die if
students think you're not reading. Try to balance this.
Decide whether to use Groups or not. See Group best practices.
Groups:
Groups should be established for different sections of the same course.
Groups can be used for discussions, projects, or single activities.
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Keep the same groups for the whole semester to give them time to evolve. If you need to
change them, go ahead, but don’t do it randomly.
Make each group as diverse as possible (based on what you know of the students).
Groups should be fairly large; five to seven members, to get a range of expertise in the
content, and to avoid burdening one student if another doesn’t contribute.
Rotate group leader position (you assign).
Notice non-contributors and privately notify them to contribute.
Some activities can be paired – groups of two. These would be temporary, for one
assignment only (such as interviewing).
Discussions: One instructor comments keeps a list of the class, and notes throughout the semester to which student he has replied directly. This ensures each student gets at least one direct instructor comment during the semester. Discussions: One online instructor holds formal debates via the Discussions tool. A discussion “resolution” is posed. Students are assigned to groups, and within each group, students are assigned to be on either the “pro” (supporting the resolution) or “con” (opposing the resolution) side of the debate. Students argue their sides of the debate within their group. On the last day of the week, students are asked to voice their own opinion on the topic, regardless of their assigned role.
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Elements of Good Discussion Activities
Set the stage for success.
•Ensure student aptitude and skills for participating in discussions.
•Provide participation rules: post timing, length, and content.
•Monitor to provide a safe,supportive environment.
Create a meaningful discussion question
or activity.
•Ask high-level questions that advance learning outcomes.
•Provide a good content basis to promote informed discussion.
•Provide a variety of activities. Promote reflection, summarization, and more reflection.
•Encourage students to compare and contrast with their personal experiences.
•Select appropriate group sizes (large, small, pairs, individuals) to match purpose and activities.
•Assign appropriate grade points to increase participation and student learning.
Be a good discussion facilitator.
•Stimulate participation and be sensitive to non-participation.
•Be supportive and encouraging.
•Be a good role model.
•Have a facilitator mind set.
•Demonstrate expertise.
•Continue to maintain boundaries throughout the class.
•Provide ample feedback.
•Consider the weaving technique to summarize and promote reflection.
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Effective Discussion Participation Good discussion participation involves people trying to build on, and synthesize, comments from others, and on showing appreciation for others’ contributions. It also involves inviting others to say more about what they are thinking. Some of the most helpful things you can do are call for a quiet interlude, bring a new resource to the classroom, or post an observation online. Below are some specific behavioral examples of good participation in discussion:
Ask a question or make a comment that shows you are interested in what another
person says
Ask a question or make a comment that encourages another person to elaborate on
something they have already said
Bring in a resource (a reading, web link, video) not covered in the syllabus or course
content, but adds new information/perspectives to our learning
Make a comment that underscores the link between two people's contributions & make
this link explicit in your comment
Post a comment that summarizes our conversations so far and/or suggests new
directions and questions to be explored in the future
Make a comment indicating that you found another person's ideas interesting or useful.
Be specific as to why this was the case
Contribute something that builds on, or springs from, what someone else has said. Be
explicit about the way you are building on the other person's thoughts – this can be done
online
Make a comment that at least partly paraphrases a point someone has made
Make a summary observation that takes into account several people's contributions &
that touches on a recurring theme in the discussion
Ask a cause and effect question - for example, can you explain why you think it's true
that if these things are in place such and such a thing will occur?
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Effective Discussion Participation Continued
Find a way to express appreciation for the enlightenment you have gained from the
discussion. Try to be specific about what it was that helped you understand something
better. Again this can be done online if this suits you better.
____________________________________________________________________________
_ Source: Brookfield, S. (n.d.). Class Participation Grading Rubric. Steven Brookfield. Retrieved
from: http://www.stephenbrookfield.com/Dr._Stephen_D._Brookfield/Workshop_Materials_files/Class_Participation_Grading_Rubric.pdf
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Worksheet: Discussion
PART I: PLANNING THE DISCUSSION ACTIVITY
1) Learning Outcome
What type of learning do you want students to
gain/demonstrate through this discussion (Bloom)?
Creating
Evaluating
Analyzing
Applying
Learning Outcome: ____________________ ____________________________________
2) Content Basis
How will you provide the content information, knowledge students need as the basis for the discussion activity?
Textbook reading
o Textbook: _______________________________________
o Chapters/pages: __________________________________
Other literature-based reading; can include internet sites
o Other reading: ____________________________________
o Other reading: ____________________________________
Non-literature content or learning objects such as simulations, movies, audio
files, etc.
o Learning Object: __________________________________
o Learning Object: __________________________________
3) Discussion Activity
Here are some ideas to help you determine how you want students to interact with the
content.
Evaluate and/or reflect on ideas presented in content sources
Relate content to current events
Quote contrasting views
Present a premise, students are assigned opposite sides to debate
Present more evidence for a position
Evaluate or reflect on scenarios or case studies
Address controversial issues
Answer a hypothetical question
Role play (assign a different role to each student in a group to draw out
different perspectives)
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy
Creating
Evaluating
Analysing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering
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Complete online or real-world activities and summarize/reflect on their
experiences for the class
Create their own questions or experiences for others to respond to
Complete a presentation or other written assignment to be evaluated by other
students
Each student does an initial posting and then a group leader summarizes all
postings
Student self-evaluation or personal reflection (students reflect on their own
postings over time)
Analyze, summarize content found on a website (either assigned or student
searches and finds)
Other: _____________________________________________________
4) Experiential possibilities
Do you want to ask students to draw on their experiences? Examples: sharing real-world
experiences; asking students to complete a real-world task and share the experience;
sharing knowledge of the subject from outside reading, or relating current topic to other
topics in the course.
Yes
If yes, how: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
No
5) Group Structure
Depending on type of activity, choose an appropriate structure: Large group, all students participate in one topic in the forum
Large group, all students participate in multiple topics in the forum
Small groups, all groups have same topic
Small groups, groups have different topics
o Students choose topics
o Instructor assigns topics
Small group postings, large group summary (small group defines and discusses
a topic; designated leader posts group’s summary/result to the large group)
Pairs (2 students per small group)
6) Discussion Strategy Decisions
Posting Frequency: Consider how often discussions will be held.
Decide how many postings students must create, and if they should be 1 original
and 2 response postings, or some variation of that.
Decide when in the week you want original postings made (probably mid-week).
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Decide when in the week you want response postings made (probably the end of
the week).
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Assessment:
Will this discussion be a grade book item? Yes ___ No ___
If yes, which one: _______________________________________
Grading method and value assigned: ________________________
Will a rubric be used? Yes ____ No ____
If yes, which one: _______________________________________
Properties:
Availability Always
Date range
o Start date ______ Time _____
o End date _______ Time _____
Locking Lock the forum/topics so students can read but not respond (allows you to cut off
responses after the deadline for posting and still allow students to read postings
to learn from them or to complete other activities).
Restrictions
Release conditions
o Which topics/activities must be completed before students can participate
in the discussion? Examples: Require completion of topics in the Content
section of your course and/or quizzes before participating in a discussion.
This strategy can help ensure quality postings.
Will students have to post their first entry before seeing other students’ postings
first?
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PART II: FINAL QUESTION/ACTIVITY AND INSTRUCTIONS
1) Forum Properties
Forum Title
Title should include the discussions position in the course, e.g., Week 1 or Module 1, as well as an indication of the forum’s content/activity.
Examples: Week 1: Introductions; Unit 4: Living with Media
Forum Title: ________________________________________________
Forum Description
The forum description can only be seen on the Forums & Topics List screen, or when viewing the forum level. It cannot be seen when a student has clicked on a topic. Therefore, forum descriptions should be limited to information that:
o Describes the purpose/learning outcome of the forum
o Provides direction to students regarding the topics they should complete
o Provides the Discussion Rubric
o Displays Opening and Closing Dates
Example Forum: TITLE: Television Ebb and Flow Televisual flow, that is the never-ending flow of television texts, relies on polysemy, interruption, and segmentation for its success. TV also relies heavily on the viewer who acts both as consumer and, increasingly more, as the creator of meaning. Topics in this forum will relate to these concepts. You should complete these topics by the due date specified in the course schedule. (See Ch. 1 in your text)
Forum Description (write your forum description in the box provided)
Be sure to indicate your strategy decisions on the Forum Properties and Restrictions screens. (Decisions on hide, lock, release conditions, and group restrictions.)
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2) Topic Properties
Topic Title
Title should include the content source or the subject of the activity. It can also indicate the group and the activity.
Examples: Week 3: Blood Borne Pathogens; Week 9: Discussion for Group 1 - Living with Diabetes
Topic Title: _________________________________________________
Topic Description
The topic description is visible when the students write their responses. Include detailed directions including:
o The question/activity itself
o Instructions to students
Clear directions for participating, especially for multi-part questions
Posting length requirements, if any
Examples: Journalism's Backseat Drivers by Barb Palser 0 messages - 0 unread Barb Palser seems to argue that bloggers perform a valuable service because, even when they make mistakes or present biased information, they keep mainstream media honest and expand the marketplace of ideas. Do you agree? Why or why not? Be sure you post your initial response by Wednesday. Reply to at least 2 of your classmates by Sunday. Small Group #1 Discussion Area for Red Bull 0 messages - 0 unread For Week 4: use this topic to read each others’ drafts and post comments, questions, etc. I will participate in this week of discussion, too. I also recommend that you use this week to devise a plan for submitting a final group document. This will require that you check in and post multiple times during the week. For Week 5: use this topic as a group to create and finalize your set of responses to the Red Bull case. When you have finished, appoint one person to upload your document into the Red Bull Group Case dropbox.
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Topic question/activity (write your discussion topic/activity in the box provided)
Be sure to indicate your strategy decisions on the Topic Properties, Restrictions, and Assessment screens. (Decisions on hide, lock, release conditions, group restrictions, grading and points.)
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SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Example 1. Literature-Based Question
In the article you read on link resolvers and federated searching, the author provides advantages and disadvantages for both. Do you agree or disagree with his assessment of the good and the bad points of these new library technologies? State Why or why not.
Example 2. Experiential Question
In the article you read on link resolvers and federated searching, the author provides various advantages and disadvantages for both. Relying on your experience of searching these types of technologies, do you agree or disagree with his assessment of the good and the bad points of these new library technologies? Why or why not? Can you think of any other advantages and disadvantages that he did not address in this article?
Example 3. Post-Building: Reflecting
Question 1: Identify what is, in your opinion, the most significant advantage to using link resolvers. Explain why you think it is an advantage.
Question 2: Now, compare the advantage you identified with some of the advantages your classmates identified. Reflect on whether your opinion about the most significant advantage has changed.
Question 3: Do not post until you have read the article on link resolvers. Focus on the author’s arguments against link resolvers. Show how his arguments contrast with the advantages you or a classmate identified.
Example 4. An Evaluative/Reflective Question
You have shared some engaging thoughts so far on the advantages and disadvantages of link resolvers. Now, take one minute to think about what we have discussed so far about them, and share your thoughts with the class. For example, what concerns you about this technology? What confuses you about it? Is it an exciting technology for libraries, and why or why not?
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Creating Discussions
1. To create a new discussion, click on Communications. 2. Click Discussions.
3. Next, create a new forum. You will need to select New. 4. Select New Forum.
5. Give your forum a title and type in a description for the forum. 6. Next, repeat the steps 1-5 to create a new topic. You will need to select New, Topic
instead of forum. 7. Options that are checked can allow for anonymous messages or require approval before
displaying. The checked check box indicates that a student cannot see the others’ postings before they compose a message first. User tip: Tell students that they must post a response before they can see what others post and that you only grade their first
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post, which could be 60% of the discussion grade. This keeps students from posting “I don’t know what to post” or a blank “accidental” post to see what other posted and copy their postings.
8. Availability can be set with a specific start date and end date range. You can also display in calendar.
9. You can lock a forum or unlock a forum or set the start and end dates. 10. Click Save and Close when finished.
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Restrictions Tab
1. Click on Restrictions to create Release Conditions or set Group and Section
Restrictions 2. Setting Release Conditions will prevent an action, such as taking a quiz before
participating in a discussion. 3. There can be a Group and Section Restrictions for certain forums or topics. 4. Save and Close when finished.
Note: You must have Groups set before you restrict to the groups. Assessment Tab
If you want to grade from the discussion topic and have the grade posted directly to the gradebook, click the Assessment tab.
1. Select Assessment 2. Choose a grade item or click the blue New Grade Item to create a grade item. 3. Score out of must match the grade item you created. 4. Add a Rubric, if you are using rubrics. 5. Posts allows for automatic calculation, but is not often used.
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Expanding and Collapsing by Forum and Topic
1. Forum Expanded (arrow pointing down) Forum Collapsed (arrow pointing right).
2. Topic Expanded (arrow pointing down) Topic Collapsed (arrow pointing right).
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Discussion Message Display
1. Click users image
2. Send E-mail, Send Pager Message, or view User Progress
Discussion Statistics
1. Click on Forum or Topic you wish to view statistics.
2. Choose View Forum Statistics or View Forum Statistics.
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3. Title.
4. Can Export to CSV file to be used in other programs like Excel for data analysis.
5. Statistics for each student.
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Assessment: Quizzes
Objectives:
1. List at least three types of questions that can be created in D2L BRIGHTSPACE.
2. Find the two check boxes that show quiz grades automatically in the gradebook.
3. Explain the primary function of the Quiz Library.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Best Practices: Quizzes and Surveys
Quizzes:
Data shows frequent quizzing is better for retention than when students cram for the
exam; use quizzes as an active learning opportunity – ask them questions, use the
feedback to teach.
Make it clear when quizzes are for learning vs. testing (though points should be placed
on both types).
If timed, allow 1 minute per multiple choice question, more for fill in the blank, plus a few
extra minutes in case their browser is slow.)
For high stakes evaluations, randomly generate question answer order, question
selection, or both.
A weekly quiz is recommended for the topic of that week.
Surveys:
Provide an end of course evaluation/survey.
Perhaps include a mid-course survey, and make teaching adjustments if necessary.
Because they’re anonymous, use them for CATs (muddiest point, etc.).
Quizzes: Hybrid instructors often assign a short online quiz with a due date/time the day before or the day of the face-to-face class on the assigned content for the week. Before the class period, the instructor can just scan the scores in the Gradebook to determine who did or did not take the quiz; and if they read the content that was due. These quizzes are not high stakes, but they do have points associated with them.
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Creating Quizzes
Creating quizzes for your course involves a series of stepsThis section will demonstrate the
typical selections used when creating a quiz. First you will need quiz questions. You get quiz
questions by creating the questions directly in D2L BRIGHTSPACE or by importing questions
from your publishers test bank as a Blackboard 6 file from the ExamView Test Generator, or as
a CSV file from Respondus Test Generator or the Publishers CSV Zip Files. Ask anyone of your
helpful D2L BRIGHTSPACE and Online Learning staff about importing Quiz Questions!
o Click Assessment o Select Quizzes o Click New Quiz
Properties Tab
o Enter the Name of your Quiz-Example Chapter 1 Quiz
o Category is optional. Used if you have Exams, Practice Tests and Quizzes
o Click the Add/Edit Questions (see more in the next image)
o Add a Description or Introduction—used for special directions, optional.
o Click the Save and go to the Restrictions Tab
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Add/Edit Questions 1. New to create your own question. 2. Import to use questions from the library. Import Source: from an existing collection (usually) Source Section: Question Library and example Chapter 1
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The following image shows the New and Import tabs expanded.
Hint 1: Select the Done Editing Questions button on the far right to get back to the quiz:
Hint 2: Click the Disable right click and pager and alerts boxes. It is just another best practice to reduce cheating.
Restrictions Tab
Set Dates and Restrictions
Status is active when ready or inactive when you are working on the test
Dates are set with a start and end date
Display in Calendar—Excellent best practice! Students know when they test is due by
looking on the calendar!
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Additional Release Conditions—used only if you have students post something and then
they can see the quiz.
Security Options—Respondus LockDown Browser (use limited) Really doesn’t prevent
cheating and requires more work for students. Consider a proctored exam option if you
have high stakes testing, such as when the course is required for a transfer institution.
Additionally, some students take the test at work to get internet access or on computers
that do not allow downloads!
Optional Advanced Restrictions—Password protection is used as a best practice to deter
cheating in exams in the classroom using the Google Chromebooks—which do not allow
download of the lockdown browser or again for the student who works from a computer
that can’t download.
IP Restrictions would be an option to deter cheating, but this currently isn’t working for
our MNSCU system.
Timing
Set your Timing limit
Typically click the enforced and show clock—add a grace period only if it fits your
pedagogy
New options are available for quiz submissions
No time limit or Enforce a time limit
Late Behaviour has three options
Student can continue working
Student is prevented from making further changes
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Student can continue working but quiz is scored as zero after the specified limit
Special Access Special access is typically used for accommodations or students taking a test early or late.
Select the Special Access Properties
Select the student
Select Add Special Access
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Assessment Tab
1. Use the dropdown arrow to find the grade item or add grade item. 2. If it is a multiple choice/tru/false quiz, typically allow automatic export to grades so you don’t have to grade the test! 3. Allow the attempt to be set as graded upon completion is checked if you are not going back in and making changes to the quiz with grading. 4. Set the number of attempts or the default is 1. 5. Save and your test is ready.
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Objectives Tab
Objectives tab is only used if you are using the Competencies and rubrics tool o Associate Learning Objectives
Submission Views Tab
Default View allows for a basic response of your quiz has been submitted successfully.
Click the blue Default View if you want to show questions with answers, without, or correct answers.
Additional Views o Add Additional View if you want to limit the time of the view and add the viewing of
the questions. o There is an option to restrict to an IP address, but it is not working with our MNSCU
system at this time.
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Reports SetupTab
Reports o Add reports if you needed to gather question detail, class averages, or other user
statistics for accreditation or other reasons in your department. o Question Statistical Analysis
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Question Statistical Analysis
Question Type Standard Deviation Discrimination Index Point Biserial
T/F Yes Yes *Yes
MC Yes Yes *Yes
M-S Yes Yes No
MAT Yes Yes No
ORD Yes Yes No
LA Yes Yes No
SA Yes Yes No
MSA Yes Yes No
FIB Yes Yes No
2+2 Yes Yes No
x10 Yes Yes No
Standard Deviation:
o (Class) Standard Deviation - indicates how much scores vary from the average, ranging from
0% to 100%. A high standard deviation indicates that scores are spread out from the
average, whereas a low standard deviation indicates that scores are close to the average.
Note: Standard Deviation displays a "0.00" value when all users have the same quiz score.
o (Question) Standard Deviation - how much the individual quiz question score varies from the
average quiz question score. Standard deviation increases as less people answer a specific
question correctly.
Note: Standard Deviation displays a "0.00" value when all users give the same answer a
specific question, correctly or incorrectly.
Discrimination Index - indicate how well a question differentiates between higher and lower
performing students by subtracting the question's Lower 27% from its Upper 27%. The higher
the difference, the better the question discriminates between high and low performing
students. For example, the discrimination index on question 1 is 66.67%-50%=16.67%. It can
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range from -100% to 100%, with high values indicating a “good” question, and low values
indicating a “bad” question.
Note: A negative value indicates that more low performing students are correctly answering
the question than high performing students. This would most likely indicate a flawed quiz
question.
Point Biserial - calculates any possible correlation between the question score and the total
quiz score. Similarly to the discrimination index, the point biserial correlation coefficient relates
individuals’ quiz scores to whether or not they got a question correct. It measures the strength
of the correlation between the two values, and shows either a positive or a negative
relationship. It ranges from -1.00 to +1.00 with high values indicating a “good” question, and
low values indicating a “bad” question.
Note: Point Biserial displays a "N/A" value when all users answer a specific question correctly.
Additional statistics are now available in the Quizzes tool to assist instructors in evaluating how well students perform on quiz questions after the questions are submitted for evaluation. Source: MNSCU D2L
Instructor Resources
Documentation on Quiz Statistics and Reports is available at https://documentation.desire2learn.com/en/viewing-quiz-statistics and https://documentation.desire2learn.com/en/viewing-quiz-reports
Videos on Quiz Statistics and Reports are available at https://community.brightspace.com/resources/videos#R_99208
Quizzes - Grading & Statistics - Instructor
Quizzes - Create a Quiz Report - Instructor
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Editing Quizzes
Edit a quiz by clicking the drop down arrow next to the quiz.
1. On the Manage Quizzes page.
2. Click on the quiz you want to edit.
3. Make your changes and click Save and Close.
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Bulk Edit Quiz Properties
Manage multiple quizzes at the same time. You can edit common properties such as name, category, active status, and number of attempts allowed.
1. On the Manage Quizzes page, select the checkbox beside each quiz you want to
edit.
2. Click the Bulk Edit Quizzes icon.
3. Make changes in the Edit Quizzes dialog box
4. Make your changes and click Save.
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Copying Quizzes
Copy a quiz
A copied quiz contains all of the questions from the original quiz. Copying is a quick and simple way to create a quiz that assesses prior and current understanding of course materials.
Note: You can only copy quizzes within the same course.
1. On the Manage Quizzes page, click Copy from the More Actions Button.
2. Select your quiz from the Quiz to Copy drop-down list.
3. Edit the quiz copy's name in the New Quiz Name field.
4. Select Quiz to Copy.
5. Give New Quiz a Name.
6. Select a status from the New Quiz Status drop-down list.
7. Select Edit quiz after copy completes if you want to go to the Edit page after creating
your copy.
8. Click Save.
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Previewing Quizzes
Preview a quiz
The quiz preview option allows you to test the accuracy of content and grading before you release a quiz. In a preview, you can answer the questions, view allowed hints, submit the quiz, auto-grade answers, read feedback, and view report results.
1. On the Manage Quizzes page
2. Click Preview from the context menu of the quiz you want to preview.
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3. Clear the Bypass Restrictions checkbox if you want to view the quiz with user
restrictions turned on.
4. Click Start Quiz!.
5. Preview your quiz. Click Exit Preview to return to Manage Quizzes page.
Multiple Choice / Multiple Select Test Item Tips
• Order of answer options should be logical, alphabetical, in order (unless the question is
about the order).
• Answer options should be grammatically consistent with stem.
• Correct answer should not be the longest answer option.
• Answer options should be independent of each other (no “Both a and c” or “All of the
above”). Use Multiple Select, not Multiple Choice.
• There should be as many answer options as reasonable (4 – 6 preferred).
• Avoid creating a pattern of correct answer letters.
• Keep in mind that “B” is the most common correct answer.
• All answer options should be plausible.
• Avoid humorous options.
• If other options can be argued to be correct, use “most” in the stem.
• Avoid “trick” questions – measure what they know, not what they don’t know.
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To deter cheating:
a. Create random questions
b. Use random answers for questions
c. Limit the time a quiz submission can be viewed to 1x
d. Restrict the viewing of a quiz until all quizzes have been completed
e. Password protect the quiz submission view
f. Limit the time for the quiz-but do remember to include enough time for English
Language students!
Resources for quiz prining and set-up: Respondus Test Generator—can connect t omost
publisher’s test banks and you can create quizzes from the tool to be uploaded quickly
into D2L BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace!
The Respondus Lockdown Browser is different than the Test Generator tool and is only
recommended for in-class laptop/chromebook or test center assessments. There is no
guarantee of preventing cheating with the use of this tool in an online class.
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Import/Export/Copy Components
Objectives:
1. Understand the differences and use of Import/Export/Copy
2. Copy a course and select specific files.
3. Import publishers test banks.
4. Export a gradebook.
Try out the Online Essentials shell course to quickly get started. Select Self-Registration from the
Resources list.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Copy
We will start this section by having you copy a course from a previous semester into a blank course shell. This is the most common task you will do with Import/Export/Copy function and is typically completed at the beginning of each semester. 1.) Go to the course you have created that you are going to use to copy. Review and make sure you wish to copy all or make note of what you wish to copy because you can select individual content and content display files to copy. Click Edit Course Select Course Offering Information
Scroll to the bottom until you see Course Offering Path Look at the last four numbers and make note of the course offering path.
2.) Go into your blank new semester course shell
10.5 Copy Course Components:
Copy Course Components has been updated to include associated files It is now easier and faster for instructors to include associated files when copying
components from one course to another. When you use the "Include associated files" feature, all files associated with the
selected course components are copied to the new course.
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For example, if you copy all items and associated files for Content, links and images in copied files remain intact. In addition, for content topics and modules, the feature analyzes HTML, HTM, and CSS files to retrieve any files referenced within them, such as embedded images, media, Javascript, and CSS files. All these files are also copied, maintaining links and styles.
Click Edit Course
Select Import/Export/Copy Components
Select Copy Components from Another Org Unit Choose Search for Offering
Type the name of the course you want to copy to this course OR click the magnifying glass
and a list of your courses will appear to choose from. It is easiest for most users to select
using the Semester column.
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Select the course you with to copy FROM
Click the Add Selected
Before you go on, make sure you are in the empty course and not the course with materials you are copying from!!!!!!!! You will have two copy options Copy All Components (use if you want everything) Select Components (use if you are going to copy a few items) You could end up with duplicate copies so make sure you are in the empty course and that you have not copied the materials earlier (the new module copies go to the bottom of your modules and you might not even notice until students start asking questions about duplicate or outdated material! )
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NOTE: Many of the components rely on other components to function properly. For
example, content relies on content display settings, and more importantly course
files—or may be listed as protected resources. This is where Copy becomes exciting
for most because you get to see choices when you decide to Select Components
versus Copy All Components
There are display settings (what you see in the module) and then there are the
actual associated files (resides in the Manage Files area). In order for your students
to see the module and access what you associated with that (file) you have to copy
both. Think of it as copying the manila folder (content displayed name) and the piece
of paper in the folder (course file or protected resources)
In this example, we demonstrate what happens when you click the Select
individual items to copy
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Confirm your selections with Continue
Click the plus sign to expand your options
Now you can pick the exact document(s) you wish to copy. For example, if you just
wanted the eBook or just the Instructor Resources you will see in the image
below.
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Click Continue
You now can review what you selected and either Modify or Finish
Processing will occur. This could take several minutes depending on what you have
selected to copy.
Review the summary to ensure everything has been copied.
Click Done
Your copied course materials should now be visible and editable in your new course!
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Import/Export
How do I use the Import/Export/Copy Components tool? Determine if you want to import content from a publisher or export content from an
existing course.
Click Edit Course
Select Import/Export/Copy Components located under the Site Resources section.
Click Browse to find the file you are going to import
NOTE: Import is for packaged materials like test banks and other content or other
courses you just exported from say another school using D2L BRIGHTSPACE. For
large courses, this should be a zip file. Do not unzip the file they provide, simply
select it. (To upload general course files, use manage files.) See this example of a
zip file:
Click Start Preprocessing may take several minutes depending on the size of the file.
Click Continue
Select your Import options. This includes determining what you wish to do if a file with
the same name is encountered. Choose carefully. This cannot be undone.
Select the components you wish to Import or all. NOTE: many of the components
rely on other components to function properly. For example, content relies on
content display settings, and more importantly course files. Consider carefully what
you need when making your selections so that your course files don’t become too
filled with materials you don’t need any longer and it causes you a lengthy time to
perform a copy.
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Click Continue
Confirm your selections, and then click Finish.
Processing will occur. This could take several minutes depending on what you have
selected to export
Review the summary to ensure everything copies.
Click Done.
Your imported items should now be visible and editable in your course.
Best Practices: Courses are purged from the system every two years. Use this tool to create a back-up of your previous course. Simply Export a zipped file and save to your system drive. Courses listed in the Under Development section are not purged and it is a best practice to have several developmental shell courses that you create, edit, and store materials for extended periods of time. You also ask for your course to be moved to an archive so that it is not purged and the student data is preserved. In an Export, student data will be lost—except the instance in which you go into Grades and export a .csv file with student data! It is recommended for you to perform exports and imports at non-peak times because if you are copying or exporting large files (video, PowerPoint, etc.), it could time-out or take a very long time. WARNING: We were recently informed that there is a MNSCU D2L BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace group discussing the purging of developmental courses at some undesignated time in the future!!
Import/Export/Copy Components: One instructor copies her course from semester to semester, changing very little. To avoid needing to change the due dates of everything in the course, she uses a Week One, Week Two content organization. However, her students often forget which week it is in the semester, so in her weekly News item, she always starts with the headline, “This is Week #X”. So students can just find the Week #X module in the content area, and she doesn’t need to change (as many) dates when she copies her course.
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Additional Resources
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BLOOMINGTON, MN
ONLINE LEARNING DEPARTMENT
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Pre-semester Online Course Checklist
______ Copy Course Components or Transfer Files
______ Update Syllabus
_______ eMail Syllabus to AA
______ Update Schedule
______ Change Release Dates and Availability Dates
______ Upload Content Files
______ Write First News Item
______ Dropbox
______ Quizzes
______ End of Course Survey
______ Discussions & Messages
______ Copy Your Standard Messages to Students
______ Grades Set-Up
______ Homepage Set-Up / Contact Widget
______ Chat Set-Up (Office Hours)
______ Review For Next Time list
______ Update All Dates and Restrictions.
______ Configure Intelligent Agents and Compose E-mails
______ Check Links
______ Compose First E-mail to Class and Send
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Best Practices of Online Teaching
The first section includes a checklist. The second section is for reoccurring courses. You may also want to schedule a Quality Matters™ Peer Review.
Checklist for New Courses in Desire to Learn, D2L BRIGHTSPACE
√ Included Online Design and Navigation
Include a welcome message to the class in the D2L
BRIGHTSPACE brightspace News area.
Include important items in the news area for release throughout
the semester.
Organize the course content by weeks or topics taught
together.
Provide directions and a rubric for completing the assignments.
Inform the students where and how to submit their assignment.
Provide activities that engage the class or group projects.
Suggest additional resources for the self-directed learners.
Include a syllabus. Introduce yourself and be inclusive to your
online students. Perhaps share something similar in your
background to those of your students are experiencing. Provide
MN Transfer goal areas that are met with your course.
Provide a course schedule of assignments.
Include objectives for each module or unit.
Open links or documents in a new window for easier
navigation back to the course.
Try to keep the navigation to any course materials simple and
include directions for publishers content in a clear, simple
language.
Provide consistent navigation throughout the course.
Verify web links are active.
Interaction
Threaded discussions could be designed so they are more
complex as the student progresses in knowledge and
comprehension, rather than more difficult as they progress.
Perhaps you would consider using something such as Bloom’s
Taxonomy to develop more complex questions?
Provide directions for how you will give feedback. How often
and what you expect of student-student and student-
instructor interaction?
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Establish Intelligent Agents in D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Brightspace so you and students get automatic email
messages when a deadline passes or a student hasn’t
logged into the course for a week. Did you consider learning styles when developing the
course? VARK (Visual, Aural, Reading & Writing, and
Kinesthetic Learning Styles)
http://www.gpslifeplan.org/pinetech/education/index.php?link
=studyskill-learning-online
Include the MN Transfer goal areas your course meets in the
syllabus. http://www.mntransfer.org/students/plan/s_mntc.php
Use the news area or calendar to remind students of upcoming
deadlines.
Include a way for students to reach you in real-time and virtual.
(Office Hours) √ Included Accessibility
Where to go for help learning how to make your courses
accessible?
Online Learning Staff!
Use Bold, underline or italics to designate words you want
emphasized versus using just color to provide meaning and use
style headings for easier navigation.
Include a link to the accessibility statement of any technology
used in the course—See the Resources and D2L
BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace accessibility link on the Normandale
D2L BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace home page as an example.
Provide alternative text to graphics used in the course. Microsoft
Word has a build in accessibility checker and so does Adobe
PDF.
Keep file sizes down to accommodate different internet
capabilities. Calculator is a tool you can use to determine the
download time of things you have produced.
Create text versions of video or audio files or close caption video
using Camtasia.
Test print and/or use a free screen reader, such the Read&Write
Gold now available. See D2L BRIGHTSPACE Brightspace home
page for details. Verify all e-pack type material is functioning, particularly from off
campus.
All photographs, larger than 200x200 pixels should be JPEGS.
Any animated GIFS used should stop after 3-5 seconds.
Captioning: Where is the streaming audio or video hosted? Both
within Camtasia and YouTube are editable captioning tools.
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√ Included Copyright
Request permission to use copyrighted material you will reuse. Verify copyright (use)permissions.
√ Included Quizzes
Review quiz questions and answers for any quiz you uploaded
from a publisher’s site.
Preview every quiz.
Verify the start date for every quiz.
Disable right click, (advanced Restrictions setting), and
disable the pager, so your students cannot print your tests
to share with other students or share information with
other students while taking the test.
Respondus Test Generation Software includes an annual
update license and allows you to import into D2L
BRIGHTSPACE. √ Included Gradebook
Consider having your gradebook automatically grade any
quizzes you have in the course.
Verify your classlist from Eservices with the D2L BRIGHTSPACE
Classlist. Determine your categories and grade items.
Determine if you are using a weighted or point system.
Run the gradebook setup Wizard.
√ Included Discussions
Assign groups, if you use them.
Check links to any images or documents to make sure they are
working.
Include release dates for discussions, if you use release dates.
Include guidelines as to how you expect the interactions, in
the discussion area, to progress.
Consider the use of a rubric for listing your expectations and
guidelines for online discussion. Rubrics can be used to grade in
the discussion and dropbox areas inside D2L BRIGHTSPACE!
D2L BRIGHTSPACE Checklist for Recurring Courses
Copy all the components you intend to reuse to your
next semester course! Verify all content copied.
√ Included Online Design
Include a welcome message to the class in the News area.
Consider emailing the classlist a welcome message.
Change the delivery dates for news items that will be reused and
delete others that you won’t use.
Check photos you have within the course content prior to
the start of the class.
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Check links for weekly/assignment releases each week.
Outside links are especially troublesome and should be
checked often.
Update calendar dates for assignments, intelligent agents, and
tests.
Update your syllabus and course schedule dates
Verify due dates for quizzes, assignments, and more.
Secure copyright permission for any material you will continually
reuse.
Quizzes
Preview quizzes
Preview any links or images to make sure they are still
working, after being copied and or after upgrades
Discussions
Assign groups, if you use them
Check links to any images or documents to make sure they are
still working
Change release dates for discussions, if you use release dates
Include guidelines as to how you expect the interactions in
the discussion area to progress.
Interaction
Provide other opportunities for students to engage and stay in
the class
Provide feedback. Tell students what you expect of student-
student and student-instructor interaction. Consider learning styles when developing the course.
List any MN Transfer goal areas the course meets in the syllabus.
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Establish deadlines and goals to get students to better manage
their time.
Use the news area or calendar to remind students of upcoming
deadlines.
Include a way for students to reach you in real-time and virtually.
(Office Hours) Peer Review Opportunity
Would you like to request a Peer Review? Contact Linda
Armstrong, Quality Matters Workgroup Chair or Sheri Steinke,
Quality Matters Institutional Representative for an Official
Quality Matters review. Watch your email or contact us about
training opportunities for Quality Matters too!
For More Student and Faculty Resources Visit: http://www.normandale.edu/online-education
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Best Practices: Syllabus
Use the current Syllabus Guidelines and Sample to ensure all necessary information is
there.
Set clear expectations for all parts of course: assignments, discussions, quizzes,
projects, exams.
State an average turnaround on grading assignments/grades, etc.
Use direct links to sections/headings within syllabus from the Content module, so
student doesn't have to search 10+ pages of syllabus for grading information, for
example.
If student requests information that’s in the syllabus, direct them to it (vs. telling them).
Make an assignment schedule/calendar for students to print out and use as a checklist.
Speak with your division or the campus CTL leader for the latest update on the approved Syllabus. Due to the printing of this manual, the latest version may not be used.
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Syllabus
Checklist:
Requirements &
Recommended Practices Syllabus Checklist The course syllabus is the document created by faculty, congruent with the common course outline
developed by departments for each course. It also reflects the creative work of faculty in expanding upon
the course outline. All instructors are required to provide students a course syllabus within a maximum
of one week from the first class meeting. When courses are offered in a condensed format, the time frame
for distribution of the syllabus shall be adjusted accordingly.
This checklist is intended to assist instructors in creating an effective syllabus; the checkmarks indicate
required or recommended content. The required content, based on MnSCU guidelines, should be
reflected in an instructor’s syllabus. The recommended items are optional but are best practices that
benefit both instructors and students. Each semester, please submit one electronic copy of each syllabus
to your Dean’s Assistant.
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FORMATTING
Syllabus is formatted so that it is accessible to all students, per the American
Disability Act See the guidelines in the Employee Training Site by following this path:
Employee Portal > Services > Training > Teaching & Learning > Syllabus Guidelines & Resources
COURSE INFORMATION Course discipline, number, and title
Course description (from course catalog)
Instructor’s name
Semester and year
Number of credits to be earned
Prerequisites, co-requisites, or recommendations, if any
Location of instructor’s office
Last updated 5/6/2014
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Office hours The contract requires 1 hour of weekly availability time for every 3 credits; a 15-credit
course load = a minimum of 5 office hours per week.
For online courses… Office hours are ideally conducted in an online format (e.g.,
Chat tool) to match the delivery method. An instructor’s online office hours can be
proportioned to the amount of credits taught online.
Instructor’s contact information Normandale phone numbers and email addresses are ideal.
Instructor’s preferred contact methods (i.e., office telephone, email, etc.) and
clarification of your usual response time to questions, etc. For online courses… it is a good practice to offer clarification on the best way to reach
you for questions (i.e., email, phone, a discussion message within the course, etc.) AND
tips about how quickly you will respond to questions (i.e., within 12-24 hours for
weekday messages).
Class Cancellations: Visit
http://www.normandale.edu/community/newsroom/newsroom-events-index/class-cancellations or call 952-358-8300.
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MATERIALS NEEDED Textbook(s), including an indication of whether each text is required or optional
Other materials and supplies needed (i.e., art supplies, 3-ring binders, etc.)
Technology expectations Clarify any technology you expect students to use, such as certain software, D2L BRIGHTSPACE, use of social media tools, (i.e., sharing projects via YouTube, communicating via Twitter or FaceBook, etc.) and other technology resources. Note: Some uses of social media may cause student concerns regarding privacy, so instructors are encouraged to clarify expectations and invite students to address any concerns.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Topics covered These should reflect the common course outline, which can be found under the course
subject link of the “Academics” section on our Normandale website:
http://www.normandale.edu/current-students/academic-resources/common-course-
outline
Course objectives (from common course outline)
The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum goals that are covered by the course
Assignment descriptions (i.e., reading assignments, papers, presentations,
experiential education projects, off-campus assignments, and/or other types of
assignments)
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Clarification of credit hours It is helpful to advise students of the time commitment outside of class for studying,
course projects, etc., such as the general recommendation that students study at least
two hours each week per credit.
Class schedule: Tentative outline of assignments, deadlines, exam dates, etc. Note: It is acceptable to note “see course schedule” and distribute a separate document
for the schedule.
EVALUATION & GUIDELINES
Final grade determination Clarify how the final letter grade of the course is determined (e.g.,“A” is 90% above, bell curve, etc.) Grading percentage breakdowns cannot be changed from the syllabus description during the semester. Final grades cannot be shaded (e.g., A-, B+, etc.).
How the final grade will be communicated and when It is helpful to share an approximate date when final grades will be calculated and
clarify where students can find this information (e.g., D2L BRIGHTSPACE gradebook,
the course records system, or other method in accordance with FERPA). Note: FERPA
guidelines can be found in the Employee Portal Training Site by following this path:
Employee Portal > Services > Training > Procedures & Policies > FERPA Guidelines
Point or percentage values of course assignments All graded experiences (exams, assignments, etc.) should be clarified along with their point/percentage value.
Attendance Policy (if attendance is graded) Be very specific and adhere to your policy.
Participation (if it impacts grade) Be very specific and adhere to your policy.
Final Exam details Point/percentage value; format (paper, test, etc.); and date, time, and tentative location
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POLICIES & PROCEDURES*
Course procedural details, such as clarification of any possible D2L BRIGHTSPACE tools that will be used
Definition of academic misconduct
Policy on plagiarism/cheating Include a clear policy on the consequences of cheating.
Behavioral Expectations Clarify policies on behavioral issues like attendance, cell phones, tardiness, disruptive behavior, etc.
Communication guidelines Remind students to use their Normandale email account for all email correspondence. For Online or Hybrid Courses… it is a good practice to remind students of netiquette (online communication etiquette) so that online discussions are educationally appropriate and civil.
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Last Date of Attendance (LDA) policies It is helpful to clarify the financial aid implications regarding lack of attendance. Example of language from the campus Records Department: Federal law requires faculty to report students who never show up or who stop attending class. This report automatically assigns a failing grade to the student and may cause a recalculation in student’s financial aid award, possibly requiring the student to return funds already received.
Late work policy Provide clear guidelines on policies regarding late work, make-up exams, etc.
Extra Credit policy Clarify if you do or do not offer extra credit opportunities. (Note: Normandale instructors are not required to offer extra credit opportunities to students.)
Other necessary policies that are applicable to your course Licensure/licensing information, special class requirements, etc. See your dean for more examples.
Assignment submission guidelines On your syllabus or assignment handouts, clarify if assignments should be printed and turned in at the beginning of class; if assignments can be emailed; if assignments should be submitted in the D2L BRIGHTSPACE Dropbox, etc. For online courses… clarify if electronic files should be a certain format type (e.g., .docx. .pdf, etc.).
American Disability Act Statement: Include either of these ADA statements…
Option A: Normandale Community College is committed to providing equal access
for students with disabilities through the services provided by the Office for Students with Disabilities. If you have a particular educational need, please make an appointment to discuss these needs with the OSD Director, Debbie Tillman. The intake/interview appointment should be made at the beginning of the semester by calling 952-358-8625, emailing [email protected] , or stopping by the L2740 office so that accommodations can be implemented in all of your Normandale courses. This syllabus is available in alternate formats by request. Option B: As your instructor, I am committed to the principle of universal learning; this
means that our classroom, virtual spaces, practices and interactions will be as inclusive as possible. Any student with particular needs should make an appointment with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) Director, Debbie Tillman, at the start of the semester by calling 952-358-8625, emailing [email protected] or stopping by the L2740 office. Once you have registered to receive OSD services, the staff will forward any necessary information to me so that I can assist with the implementation of accommodations. Then, you and I can work out the details of the accommodations needed for this course.
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Mental Health Statement: Consider including these helpful instructions to students… As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating, and a lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. Normandale Counselors are available to meet to discuss these kinds of concerns. Please visit the reception desk in the Advising & Counseling Center (C1032) for assistance or call 952-358-8261. For more information on our advising and counseling services, visit www.normandale.edu/current-students/advising-and-counseling.html and visit this website for various community resources that provide mental health counseling: www.normandale.edu/current-students/advising-and-counseling/personal-counseling.html
An Intellectual Property disclaimer regarding student work The work a student creates in a course is his/her intellectual property. If an instructor wishes to use a student’s work as a learning example in a current or future class, a disclaimer should be included in the syllabus and, when possible, a “Permission to Use Student Work” form should be signed and collected. This form can be found in the Employee Portal Training Site by following this path: Employee Portal > Services > Training > Procedures & Policies > Intellectual Property
OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION*
Information on academic support services Consider sharing information about the campus tutoring center and other academic resources.
Information on the campus library
For sample language, consult the syllabus sample stored in the Training site of the Employee Portal.
Information on the campus computer center
For sample language, consult the syllabus sample stored in the Training site of the Employee Portal.
Information about other helpful campus resources applicable to your course
Instructor information Include an introduction of yourself, your educational background, teaching experience, teaching philosophy, etc. For sample language, consult the syllabus sample stored in the Training site of the Employee Portal.*
*For optional sample language for your syllabus regarding Policies & Procedures and
Other Helpful Information about campus resources, consult the syllabus sample, which can be found on the Employee Portal Training Site by following this path: Employee Portal > Services > Training > Teaching & Learning > Syllabus Guidelines & Resources
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Student Resources Go to the D2L BRIGHTSPACE login portal and click on Getting Started
Explore the resources & Link to the resources in your courses!
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Where can I get help
Help is available in the Professional Development Center, PDC, located in L1735 or contact ITS services off-hours. Any of the Online Learning Department staff can help you with designing your online material accessible. Designing it from the beginning will save you time later on.
Check out our growing Faculty Development and Student Support for Online Learning
web pages in one of three ways: 1. www.normandale.edu and in the search bar type Faculty Development, Professional
Development Center, or Online Learning
2. Select Current Students. Select Online Learning
3. Select Faculty Staff and Select Online Learning
Link to Online Learning Website: http://www.normandale.edu/current-
students/academic-resources/online-education
All roads lead to YOU getting the support you need! Want to see something else? Let us know!
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Creating Accessible Online Content
Many resources are available for you to begin creating accessible online content.
MN.IT Services: http://mn.gov/oet/governance/for-agencies/accessibility/
Normandale and MNLC website http://www.accessibility.project.mnscu.edu/
National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials: http://aim.cast.org
Normandale D2L BRIGHTSPACE Course: Accessible Course Design. Self-enrolling,
self-paced course. Email [email protected] if you are not already enrolled.
University of Minnesota Accessibilty University of Minnesota Accessibility Website
http://accessibility.umn.edu/ includes information for further research on accessible
documents and individual page-website evaluation.
WebAim http://webaim.org/
MnIT has Accessible Word 2010 video tutorials available for you to learn how to make
your documents accessible. http://mn.gov/oet/governance/for-agencies/accessibility
Closed Captioning Resources
Two possible ways of captioning your own video can be done using YouTube or Camtasia. Additionally, you can work with Pavel Ignatankov or David Voigt to caption videos. YouTube and Camtasia both provide tutorials that will help you get started. YouTube provides a tutorial: http://support.google.com/youtube/bin/static.py?hl=en&page=guide.cs&guide=2734661 Tech Smith Camtasia provides a tutorial: http://www.techsmith.com/tutorial-camtasia-captions.html Training resource: Self-paced Video Captioning: http://www.mncdhh.org/captioningessentials/
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Resources
Normandale Faculty Development pages: http://www.normandale.edu/current-
students/academic-resources/professional-development-center
Normandale Student Online Education pages:
http://www.normandale.edu/current-students/academic-resources/online-
education
Brightspace by D2L BRIGHTSPACE Community site has self-directed training videos
that are now available: http://community.brightspace.com/. The site also includes
additional documentation resources, blogs, and the Teaching & Learning Community.
Normandale Community College, Online Learning Department offers training and
consultation on making your campus accessible, digital literacy, Quality Matters
preparation/training/review, technology for learning, and more.
MNSCU ASA Faculty Teaching site:
http://www.asa.mnscu.edu/facultydevelopment/index.html
Minnesota Learning Commons Accessibility and Digital Literacy resources sites:
https://mnlearningcommons.us/
Normandale QA https://normandaleqa.ims.mnscu.edu A testing site for your courses
Normandale Online Ed Youtube Channel. Subscribe for updated videos.
https://www.youtube.com/NormandaleOnlineEd
MNSCU Helpdesk https://D2L Brightspace.custhelp.com/
Authors: Sheri Hutchinson, [email protected], David Voigt, and Nancy Ludden, Creative Commons license under a share and use freely, change as you need. 2015
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