In This Issue
Jump to:
Canvas Grades to Peoplesoft: Improved Methods and Documentation
There’s a one-stop-shop on the Canvas course navigation for getting grades into PeopleSoft. Whether you send grades directly from Canvas to PeopleSoft or export and edit them offline before sending to PeopleSoft, Send or Export Grades to PeopleSoft is your starting point. The export feature now highlights mismatched current and final grades, honors the Final Grade Override, and offers the ability to include student names. All these options are explained in the Prepare and Submit Grades to PeopleSoft Self-Help Guide.
Canvas March Release Notes
Instructure releases updates to Canvas each month. See the complete list of Canvas updates released on March 20th. The next Canvas release will be April 17, 2021. Highlights this month include:
- the ability to create a New Quiz from Modules. When you select Create Quiz from the list, the option appears to use either New Quizzes or Classic Quizzes. New Quizzes is the default, so take care to switch to Classic Quizzes if that is your preference.
- an interface update in the Submit Assignment Button Wording. Previously to start an assignment students had to click the “Submit Assignment” button now that button now says “Start Assignment.”
Student Rating of Teaching Update
Prior to changes in teaching and learning due to Covid-19, Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) was 60 - 70% paper based. Remote instruction created the opportunity to transition to predominantly online submissions that can simplify the process for students. The online SRT also benefits instructors: on April 8, an intuitive Response Rate monitor dashboard will be implemented that will enable instructors to view just-in-time updates on student response rates, for the current term and historical response rate. There will be more enhancements to the SRT platform, Explorance Blue, in the coming months. Keep watching the newsletter for updates.
Spotlight
Fall 2021 Instructional Modalities
This fall the University is reverting to fall 2019 modes of instruction, but with the benefit of new insights into remote and online instruction. Provost Croson “...encourages all instructors to consider what innovations they believe advance their pedagogy, and to incorporate those innovations into their instruction” and has provided further guidance on fall 2021 instruction.
If you are considering modifying your course structure or practice, Academic Technology Support Services (ATSS) is offering an end-of-semester retreat that can assist you with design and technology options framed by insights from recent student and faculty focus groups. During the Teaching with Technology Retreat, you will have structured time to
- Reflect on your experiences
- Review your Spring 2021 course(s)
- Revise or create your course for summer/fall instruction
All sessions are informed by the UMN Guidelines for Online Teaching and Design. You will be supported by academic technology professionals. Sessions will be offered 9 a.m. - noon each day on May 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. See topics and registration information - Register for the Teaching with Technology Retreat. You can attend one or all sessions.
Academic Video Production
Media specialists are available to work with faculty and instructional staff to produce videos. These can include:
- lectures, recordings can combine video of the presenter and a computer source
- interviews, via Zoom or Skype
- demonstrations
See examples of videos produced for courses. Learn more about how ATSS can help you produce videos for your courses or other academic projects.
What is “My Media” in Canvas?
My Media is your personal library of all Kaltura media that you own or manage. (See how to manage video permissions in Kaltura.)
You can access My Media in Canvas by going to the Account menu and selecting My Media (Kaltura). Enabling My Media in your course navigation does not share your videos with anyone.
To share your media with students in your Canvas course:
- Add Kaltura Videos using the Rich Content Editor (RCE) in Pages, Discussions, Assignments
- Add Kaltura Videos to Media Galleries
Teach Together Minnesota!
The Teach Together Minnesota! virtual conference will focus on culturally-responsive online teaching and learning through the lens of discipline-specific breakout sessions. All higher education faculty and education supporters (Centers for Teaching & Learning staff, Directors, Instructional Designers, IT Support, Librarians) are invited to attend this day-long event on May 18, 2021. RSVP required.
Upcoming Teaching Support Offerings
- Apr 8 Online Peer Review with Engaging and Balanced Assessments
- Apr 13 Beyond Content: Fostering Online Interaction
- Apr 21 Making Online Classes Both Active & Inclusive
- Apr 22 E-Proctoring for Online Exams
- Apr 22 Three Ideas for Exemplary Online Teaching
- Apr 23 Lessons Learned from Pandemic Teaching
- Apr 29 Accessible Presentations
- Apr 30 Pandemic Teaching: What Stays, What Goes?
Canvas Coffee Time
Join Canvas Coffee Time, an informal online gathering of instructors and academic technologists where you can ask for help, share successes or just listen in. This system wide conversation has included topics such as online discussion techniques, tips for using Zoom and getting the most out of your Canvas gradebook. Join us at 9:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month in our Zoom online meeting room at the assigned time.
Vendor Training
Kaltura: Get best practices on using video to improve online course design, from both a technical and pedagogical perspective. Register for one or all webinars at Kaltura Academic Media & Pedagogy masterclass series.
Self-help guides offer step-by-step instructions and extra guidance to help you complete your tasks.