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Remote Teaching Week-by-Week Checklist: Summer Edition (5 Weeks)

Click to view the Summer Session calendar. 

Access our welcome packet for Summer 2020 instructors here 

Click here to download a pdf version of this document. 

Week 0 (Before Week 1)

  • Prepare your syllabus. Click here to download the Commons learner-centered syllabus template, and here to access example syllabi from UC San Diego educators. For support with Course Design, contact the Engaged Teaching Hub
  • Access and begin to build your Canvas site. 
  • Begin building out content and assignments in your Canvas course.
    • Tip: Pre-loading as much of the course materials as possible (readings, quizzes, lecture slides, videos, etc) will help you and your students better manage time as the course progresses. You can choose to make all course materials available at once, or keep future items or modules unpublished until you are ready for students to access them. 
  • Familiarize yourself with remote instructional tools you plan to use. EdTech has recorded training webinars on educational technology tools for remote instruction as well as regular office hours, and you can reach out anytime to online@ucsd.edu for further support. 
  • Send a welcome email to students introducing yourself and the course (click here for adaptable template language). Consider also sending a tech and access survey to better understand students’ learning environments while remote (view a sample survey or make a copy). 
  • (if applicable) Reach out to TAs to schedule an introductory meeting to welcome and orient them to the course, set communication expectations, and consider how to integrate them into the course
  • When you are ready for students to view course elements (you can select which ones by publishing/unpublishing individual elements): double-check to be sure your course is published at the course level, and view the course through student view to be sure items are appearing as you wish.

Week 1

  • Set up an “Introduce Yourself” forum (example prompts) to greet students and have them meet each other via Canvas discussion board, or by planning an icebreaker for the first synchronous meeting. Breakout rooms are a great tool for setting up virtual “tables” of students so students can interact in smaller groups. 
  • Collect AFA letters from students requesting accommodations due to documented disability (further information for faculty from the Office of Students with Disabilities).
  • Promote campus resources like OASIS, tutoring and supplemental instruction, Basic Needs Hub, and CAPS counseling (copyable Campus Resources slide). Share Digital Learning Hub’s Keep Learning site with students for information on remote learning strategies, and campus support and resources. 
  • Consider highlighting the most important parts of the syllabus in multiple formats: in an announcements post, a screencast, or even a syllabus quiz.
    • Tip: In remote teaching environments, it is especially crucial to establish a routine as quickly as possible. During the first week, introduce and consciously model the ways that students will interact with you and each other in the course, and consider designing a small, low-stakes assessment (even if it is not graded) to make sure students know how to submit work and access feedback from you.

Week 2

  • Monitor student enrollment and remind them about deadlines for enrollment for summer session.
    • Tip: You can see which students are engaging in what kinds of materials on your site and for how long in Canvas’ “People” and “Analytics” sections. This can help you identify and devise a plan for reaching out to students who might be falling behind early in the course.
    • Consider contacting a colleague or the Engaged Teaching Hub (ETH) to schedule a consultation and/or observation of your synchronous session. The ETH can also facilitate student feedback collection.
  • Consider making your first graded assignment due at the beginning of this week so students can get early feedback to adjust their performance. Check in with students to make sure they know how to access your feedback on Canvas. 
  • Prepare any midterm assessments and review/practice materials for students and post these to Canvas.
  • Toward the end of week two: collect and respond to early student feedback.

Week 3

  • Check in with the People and Analytics sections in Canvas again. Note any students who may be dropping off, and consider contacting them or addressing any widespread issues in an Announcement.
  • If engagement asynchronously is low, take action to address that as soon as possible. Consider engaging more frequently yourself in online discussions to provide feedback, or ask students via an anonymous tool about their participation patterns.
  • If you plan on introducing new types of engagement and/or assessment, do so as soon as possible. Students should be settling into a routine now. 
  • Promote learning resources for students who might benefit from further support.
  • Administer midterm assessments; check in with TAs/graders on grading, and return feedback and grades to students. 
  • If you have time, upload any remaining course materials and prepare any quizzes or assignments or announcements ahead of time and schedule them for posting.

Week 4

  • Collect student feedback again. If there are any pressing course issues, it is not too late to address them!
  • Check in with the People and Analytics sections in Canvas again. Note any students who may be dropping off, and consider contacting them directly via email or addressing any widespread issues in an Announcement.
  • Promote learning resources for students who might benefit from further support.
  • Check in on the “Grades” section of Canvas, and encourage students to address any missing assignments (if you still accept them) well ahead of the registrar’s grading deadline. Consider reaching out to students with multiple missing assignments. 
  • Prepare and post final assessment information, as well as any review, example, or practice materials.

Start of Week 5

  • Encourage students to ask you any final logistical questions about the final exam(if your course includes a final exam) and address technology and access issues for the exam as needed.

End of Week 5 and Week 6 (Finals)

  • If you have Instructional Assistants, keep in close contact with them about grading.
  • Review EdTech’s Course End-of-term Checklist for technical considerations surrounding grading and closing out your course. 
  • Enter grades via eGrades. Click here for a step-by-step tutorial and here to view the grading deadlines for summer session 2020. If you do not already have a Business Systems login, which you will need to access eGrades, there are instructions for setting one up here (note that it can take a day or two to process, so it is worth doing early).
        Assessing Student Learning in Remote Instruction by the UC San Diego Teaching +Learning Commons Engaged Teaching Hub Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-creative commons logoShare Alike 4.0 International License.
Last Updated: June 22, 2020           Contact: engagedteaching@ucsd.edu