Continuity of Instruction

The Office of Online Learning has created the following resources to help faculty prepare for the continuity of instruction in the event that classes at Winthrop need to be offered remotely. These resources are intentionally streamlined to make them useful for new users and for quick response situations. For additional assistance, contact the Winthrop Office of Online Learning.

Being prepared

Let your students know in advance that when classes switch to remote delivery, they should check their Winthrop e-mail daily and access Blackboard—or your course website or other LMS—several times a week to participate and stay on track. Direct students to the Preparing for Remote Learning page for student resources.

The resources below will help faculty use the Winthrop-supported digital tools for continuity of instruction during a temporary move to remote delivery.

Quick Start Guide

• If you need internet access at home, the South Carolina Department of Education has provided a list of free or discounted internet providers.
• Log into Blackboard (Video)
• Upload your syllabus (PDF - 330KB)
• Create a discussion forum (PDF - 264KB)
• Make your course available to students (PDF - 129KB)
• Send an announcement to your students directing them to log into Blackboard and participate in a discussion forum in order to make sure that everyone can access Blackboard. Consider assigning some credit for their participation in the forum.

Remote Teaching

Accessibility

Visit the Office of Accessibility's Q&A page for information about classroom accommodations as we move to an online classroom environment.

Retention

Maintain regular communication with students and monitor their activity and progress in Blackboard. Contact students to offer support should you notice a decrease in participation.

• Monitor Progress with the Retention Center (PDF - 507KB)
• The Blackboard Retention Center (Video)
• The Blackboard Performance Dashboard (Video)

Interaction

• Create discussion forums (PDF - 264KB) to replace face to face discussions.
• Tips for Facilitating Online Discussions (PDF - 125KB)
• Use e-mail in Blackboard (PDF - 268KB)
• Video Conferencing Resources (Link)
• Set up online office hours or conduct a synchronous class meeting in Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.

Note: Blackboard Collaborate Ultra is a video conferencing platform that is available in every Blackboard course. However, during periods of temporary remote instruction, not every student will be equally able to participate in online synchronous sessions due to Internet access, available equipment and/or time zones.  These sessions should be optional, rather than mandatory, and should be recorded so they can be shared with students who cannot attend. A microphone headset is recommended for the best experience.

• The Collaborate Ultra Sessions Page (PDF - 315KB)
• Create a Collaborate Ultra Session (PDF - 424KB)
• Record a Collaborate Ultra Session (PDF - 255KB)

Course Content

Consider the key content and instruction that you were planning to deliver in a face to face format and how that can be delivered remotely. 

• Record lectures using Panopto.
  
  • Recording Lectures Using Panopto (Link)
  • How to Edit Captions in Panopto Videos (Link)
  • Adding Panopto Videos to Blackboard (Original) (Video)
  • Adding Panopto Videos to Blackboard (Ultra) (Link)
• Supplement with additional readings.
• Find videos and other content online to link to.
• Have students create a PowerPoint or other type of file (outline, concept map, etc) that gives an overview of the readings that you might normally have given a lecture on.
• Give students the assignment of finding supplementary resources and sharing them.
• Contact the Office of Online Learning to enable Blackboard Ally in your course.

Note: Blackboard Ally scans your course and indicates which documents have issues with accessibility, provides instructions for how to improve the accessibility, and provides alternative formats for the documents.

• Overview of Blackboard Ally (Video)
• Blackboard Ally Tutorial (Video)

Assessments

• Use the Blackboard assignment tool to create areas where students can submit work for all the major assignments remaining in your course. This works for papers and projects that can be uploaded as docx, PDF, PPT, or other file types.
  • Create an Assignment (PDF - 624KB)
• Use the Test tool to create any quizzes or exams you were planning to deliver face to face.
  • Create a Test (PDF - 624KB)
  • Deploy a Test (PDF - 235KB)
  • Add Test Exceptions to a Test (PDF - 354KB)
• Use Respondus Lockdown Browser (PDF - 542KB) and Monitor to promote academic integrity for your online tests.
• Provide your students with the Respondus Lockdown Browser instructions.  
  • Using Lockdown Browser and Monitor at Home (PDF - 305KB)
  • Using Lockdown Browser and Monitor on a Chromebook (PDF - 701KB)
  • Using Lockdown Browser and Monitor in a Campus Computer Lab (PDF - 499KB)

Grades

• Use the Blackboard Grade Center
  • Access and Use the Full Grade Center (Video)
  • Access the Needs Grading Center (Video)
  • Create a Grade Center Column (PDF - 351KB)
  • Grade a Manually Created Column (PDF - 171KB)

Library Resources

Dacus librarians and Pettus archivists are available to assist you with your remote teaching and learning needs.

• See the Library Services Quick Guide for information about Dacus Library hours, services (including Interlibrary Loan and PASCAL Delivers), materials, and electronic resources, or to get help with remote access, reference and research questions, or library instruction. You can also contact a librarian directly through:
  • Chat (the chat window appears on any page of the Dacus Library website)
  • Book A Librarian (in person, Walk &  Talk, or virtual)
  • Ask an Archivist (online) – or call 803/323-2334
  • Phone/E-mail
• Electronic Resources can be found in the following locations:
  •  Submit electronic reserves requests
  • Browse the Digital Commons (the campus’ institutional repository) for immediate access to faculty and student scholarship, campus journals, and digitized historical records and artifacts.
  • Find ebooks, articles, and other materials through OneSearch.
  • Consider using Open Access (OA) or Open Education Resources (OER). 
    • More information on OER is available in the library Open Educational Resources guide.
    • Dacus joined the Open Textbook Library, which WU community members may access anytime.
    • More OA and OER are located in the Open Educational Resources Guide for Students.
• Find help accessing Dacus Library resources from off-campus on the Remote Log-In Guide.
• Visit the Pettus Archives website for an overview of services and collections and to contact a Pettus Archivists for assistance.

Remote Meetings and Advising

Blackboard Collaborate Ultra can be used to host virtual meetings and conduct academic advising outside of Blackboard.  Please request a Collaborate Scheduler account by contacting the Office of Online Learning at 803/323-2212 or blackboard@winthrop.edu. A microphone headset is recommended for the best experience.

• Create a Collaborate Ultra Session Using the Collaborate Scheduler (PDF - 171KB)
• Access Blackboard Collaborate Ultra from a Link (PDF - 171KB)
• Facilitate a Session in Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (Video)
• Share your Screen using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (PDF - 389KB)
• Create a Breakout Room for Advising Sessions (PDF - 250KB)
• Video Conferencing Resources (Link)