Basic Strategies for Quickly Switching to Online Teaching
UND continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting flexible formats for teaching.
This advice is intended for use in situations where instructional events need to quickly move to an online, virtual, or hybrid format. If you are interested in best practices for online course design and development, see the other sections on this page or speak with an instructional designer.
Many students as well as faculty may feel displaced and unprepared for this shift, so our best effort should be around continuity (not perfection!).
- Prioritize making content and resources available to your students and communicate often.
- Be flexible with deadlines, access, and circumstances when possible, especially during the first week of this transition.
- Try to use synchronous methods (such as live meetings and discussions) only when absolutely necessary to discuss or conduct activities around high yield content, projects, or applications.
The list of basic strategies below may fit your needs as you convert in-person activities to an online format.
Basic Teaching Strategies and Their Online Translations
Online Classroom
Blackboard is UND’s learning management system. It can house all or most of the tools and activities below.
Leo is the learning management system used by the Medical Education program for scheduling and content.
Asynchronous Discussions
Hold asynchronous discussions using Blackboard discussion boards or VoiceThread.
Asynchronous Lectures
Use Mediasite (SMHS) or Yuja (Main Campus/TTaDA) to create recorded lectures. (Contact Information Resources for access to Mediasite recording features.)
Live Lectures and Live Discussions
Use Zoom for videoconferencing to hold live classes and/or to host student presentations. Breakout rooms can be used for live, online group work.
Pre-Recorded Lectures
Some faculty have past recorded lectures stored in Mediasite. If content is current, these can be re-run. (Contact your program chair and Information Resources.)
Document Sharing and Group Work
Blackboard is recommended. SharePoint and Teams (in Office 365) are alternative tools, and some programs use OneDrive.
Research
Library Resources can help you scaffold independent research activities (for students and for yourself).
Tests
Create complex tests or large random question pools in Blackboard. This will minimize the need for proctoring. Or, use ProctorU to enable students to take proctored exams from anywhere. (Work with your department to determine the best action for clinical/lab skills and other unique, group-based, hands-on assessments if they cannot be rescheduled.)
General Information and Help
Get help with the tools listed above by contacting Information Resources (Mediasite, Office, Sharepoint, remote work, and computer issues) or TTaDA (Blackboard, Yuja, VoiceThread, Zoom, ProctorU).
Hoonuit (formerly Atomic Learning) provides online training that answers your “How do I do that?” software questions. Log in with your NDUS account to access an extensive library of short, easy-to-understand video tutorials.
The AAMC's MedEdPortal provides Virtual Learning Resources during COVID-19. This collection features peer-reviewed teaching resources that can be used for distance learning, including self-directed modules and learning activities that could be converted to virtual interactions. The resources are free to download and free for adaptation to local settings.
If you have questions about the above, please email Adrienne Salentiny. Indicate the best way to reach you (phone, email). She will do her best to respond as soon as possible.