Frequently Asked Questions
Instructional Questions
Teaching Practices
Equipment
Supporting Students
Sources
This information is adapted by Brandeis CTL staff and CTL Partners from the following resources:
EDUCAUSE maintains this spreadsheet of available resources. Please protect students’ identity and information in compliance with legally mandated FERPA regulations. Use Brandeis password protection where possible.
Suggestions:
EDUCAUSE: Corporate Resources for Higher Ed Going Online During COVID-19
MERLOT is an online resource where you can search for thousands of examples.
Open Syllabus project, National Science Digital Library, Coursera and EdX also offer resources.
Simulated labs for college level Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth/Environmental Science, Engineering and Math are available.
Suggestions:
Free Coursera courses during COVID-19
Free EdEx resources during COVID-19
Tools:
Zoom for live discussions (that can be recorded)
LATTE Discussion forums for asynchronous text-based discussions
Perusall for asynchronous discussion about an assigned reading
Practices:
Discuss class norms and behaviors, invite students’ input, and codify them where all students can access them.
Suggestions for Tools:
Brandeis Gmail (not equally available in all countries). Brandeis VPN may help students to access course materials/communications.
Prevent Zoombombing
Suggestions for Practices:
Suggestions:
10 Keys to Building a Supportive Digital Community of Learners
Collectively Writing a Class Constitution
ASU: Teaching Labs Online
Universal Design for Online Teaching/Learning
Intentionally Equitable Hybrid Discussions
Suggestions:
Consider meeting in shorter time blocks if possible
Begin by identifying the learning goals: what should students know and be able to do by the end of the session
Vary how you spend the time to include:
Small group breakout work
Paired break-out work
Individual quiet work time together in community
Whole-group reflection/summarizing of learning at the end of the session
Interaction tools on Zoom:
To preserve LATTE’s capacity to sustain all of us, post URLs in LATTE that direct students to material that resides online wherever possible.
Become familiar with the process of making accessible PDFs from books and journals.
Familiarize yourself with how to link to the Library’s online materials.
Learn how to make electronic documents screen-reader accessible to students.
You can share Affordable and Open Education Resources that are available to all students.
Review copyright information that applies to materials you will share with students.
Suggestions:
Share your syllabus via LATTE
How to post a link in LATTE (to share audio/video files that reside outside LATTE)
Accessible documents:
Brandeis Gmail (not equally available in all countries). Try Brandeis VPN for students/faculty who may have difficulty accessing course communications/materials.
Suggestions:
D. Christopher Brooks. EDUCAUSE Data Bytes and Quick Polls.
Recorded feedback using Zoom or VoiceThread is a popular feedback option.
Zoom allows screen sharing where students can position their phone or laptop to show their studio work in real time and you can offer live feedback.
Suggestions:
See Brandeis examples for ARTS courses in this Share/View Brandeis Examples document
VoiceThread Guides by Esther Brandon
Record a professor or TA performing the lab and then post data. We will also have “blooper” videos where we will have the professor doing something wrong that students then have to (1) determine the error and (2) predict what the data will look like with this change. Students will post these comments to a class forum.
Students may present for each other via Zoom in a “virtual journal club” talking about different procedures.
Change one of the labs from data collection to data analysis. Provide students with microarray data that they then need to interpret using a series of online “big data” tools that are accessible on a standard laptop
Perform a virtual lab. There are several decent virtual labs available online. We will have the students do a rat brain dissection online. We are then going to write a reflection exercise where the students interpret primary literature answering guiding questions.
See additional suggestions below.
Suggestions:
Free online science resources from science librarians across the country.
JoVE Core Biology textbook and introductory biology lab manual are freely available until June 2020
National Science Digital Library videos and datasets
TN Tech University, Teaching Music Courses and Lessons online
See Brandeis examples for ARTS courses in this Share/View Brandeis Examples document
To optimize your synchronous Zoom meeting:
Use headphones or earbuds with a microphone to minimize surrounding noise and maximize your voice.
In your Zoom settings, opt to Mute Participants upon entry into the meeting. As the host of the meeting, instructors can mute and unmute participants at any point.
As the host of the meeting, instructors can turn on the Breakout Rooms feature in their Zoom settings for group discussion or group work on problem sets.
See these Zoom resources listed in the next column for additional guidance.
Suggestions:
Zoom Polling (automated response)
Zoom Whiteboard (doesn’t auto-save notes)
Zoom whiteboard (YouTube tutorial)
Zoom whiteboard (Zoom tutorial)
Prevent Zoombombing
Interaction tools on Zoom:
Suggestions:
Submitting an Echo360 video in LATTE for your Moodle assignment
Suggestions:
Roles, responsibilities and tasks need precise clarification
Draft a script or an outline of your ideas for your lecture before recording.
Use headphones or earbuds with a microphone to minimize surrounding noise and maximize your voice.
Divide longer lectures into smaller, separate video lectures, organized by topic, idea, or skill. By watching video lectures of less than 15 minutes each, learners are more likely to maintain focus and retain key information.
Include guiding/focus questions at the beginning of the video and quiz questions throughout and at the end to engage learners and allow them to check for understanding as they watch.
Upload PDF files, websites and media that support the content of your lecture.
From your Brandeis Zoom account, record the lesson either onto your computer or into Zoom cloud space. Zoom will insert closed captioning for accessibility.
Post a URL on your LATTE site that connects students to audio/video files that reside outside LATTE (like a lecture file that resides in Zoom or Ensemble)
Suggestions:
LATTE and Zoom Essentials (pdf)
Suggestions:
Stable internet connection
A laptop with built-in webcam (preferred) or smartphone or tablet
Earbuds with built-in microphone (preferred)
Access to your course’s LATTE page(s).
Brandeis’ Zoom Platform
Brandeis Box for hosting documents, images.
Brandeis Ensemble for hosting video/audio
Suggestions:
To purchase cameras, microphones, tablets or other peripherals*:
order with a P-card and arrange for shipping to your location
request tax reimbursement using this tax-exempt document (pdf)
email the serial number or the item to refresh@brandeis.ed to help Brandeis track purchases during this period
*For laptops or desktop computers, P-cards may not be used. Contact refresh@brandeis.edu and procurement@brandeis.edu directly for assistance.
Suggestions:
Suggestions:
Support at Brandeis: Mental Health Support
Suggestions:
Brandeis Faculty Guide: Supporting Students During COVID-19
Suggestions:
Equity Resources and COVID-19 (compiled by Chapman University from higher ed diversity officers across the US)
Asynchronous class activities are more accessible than real-time Zoom meetings for those students located in different time zones and countries, and those who lack reliable, fast internet or quiet, safe spaces to work.
Zoom and Echo 360 can connect with students live and also record class meetings.
Learn how to use video captions and transcripts to make videos accessible
LinkedIn Learning includes video training programs on a variety of technology and business topics, such as Photoshop and InDesign.
Suggestions:
Accommodations for students now require innovative adjustments. Please contact Student Accessibility Support staff to arrange the necessary changes.
Closed Captioning is available in Zoom meetings
Closed Captioning in PowerPoint
Suggestions:
Brandeis Gmail (not equally available in all countries. Try Brandeis VPN for students in countries without access to Google and Gmail.)
This information is adapted by Brandeis CTL staff and CTL Partners from the following resources: