Just in Time Online Training

As faculty prepare to teach online in a hurry, the Office of Online Education recommends the following Just in Time Online Training:

Step 1: Review existing resources:

Step 2: Complete the Blackboard Basics Training Course, if you are not already proficient with Blackboard

Step 3: Connect with your school’s faculty mentor to help you leverage technology to support student learning and quality instruction

Step 4: Review the online course planning document and begin to fill it out

Step 5: Schedule an individual course design consultation with the Office of Online Education staff, explore additional resources below, or consider taking one of our future workshops.

Additional resources:

Teaching and Learning Webinar Series

Throughout the academic year, the Office of Online Education offers monthly, hour-long, lunchtime webinars for faculty on essential topics of innovative teaching (in-person and online). These fully-online webinars are facilitated by the Office of Online Education staff and each features a presentation by a faculty co-host with expertise on the topic. Each webinar consists of three parts: the pedagogical “Why”, the practical “How”, and the faculty experience. Faculty share their experience and expertise on innovative teaching and learning and best practices in pedagogy to support our students. Attendees have time during the Q&A at the end of each webinar to comment, share their views, and to ask questions of all webinar presenters.

These hour-long webinars are conveniently delivered online, and are easily accessed from the desktop, phone, or tablet. If you are interested but unable to attend a live webinar on that day and time, you can register to request a replay. A detailed written summary, a recording of the webinar, and the webinar presentation slide deck are shared with webinar registrants.

Some of the webinar topics in our series have included evidence-based practices, student-centered teaching and course design, use of tests and quizzes, effective feedback and assessment, accessibility and universal design for learning, and many more. If there is a topic that you think might be of interest to you or your colleagues, or if you are interested in nominating a colleague or yourself as a faculty co-host/presenter, do contact us at online.education@lehman.cuny.edu

Templates, Tools & Tutorials

Technology can be a very powerful tool when it comes to teaching. When used appropriately it can engage students and support their learning. Whether your course is on campus or online, feel free to use these resources:

Templates

Adopt an Online Course Template. Every semester all courses are automatically given a generic Blackboard course template. We invite you to adopt the Online Course Template for your course. The online course template was designed by experienced online faculty to meet the needs of Lehman students. The modular course design provides an attractive and organized learning roadmap that makes it easier for students to navigate the course. The template also includes additional resources such as an Online Student Orientation. By using the Online Course Template, faculty can build out their courses more easily and efficiently, and ensure that their students experience a consistent learning environment. Contact the Office of Online Education for more information and assistance to adopt.

Tools

Blackboard is a learning management platform that allows you to post course materials, create an opportunity for students to engage with you and with each other, and demonstrate that they have achieved the set learning goals. Available on mobile.

Blackboard Collaborate Ultra is a real-time video conferencing tool that enables you to meet virtually, share applications, use a virtual whiteboard to interact, and even create breakout groups. This platform allows one to see six (6) video streams simultaneously, and up to 250 participants on audio. Explore all video and audio conferencing options.

VoiceThread is a web-based interactive tool for collaboration and discussion. Instructors can create mini-lectures by recording a video from a webcam, uploading slides or other course materials and adding a narration. Students can engage in meaningful conversations using audio and video comments. Students can also create multimedia presentations or e-portfolios. Available in Blackboard.

Turnitin is a web-based application that makes it easy for you to give feedback and voice comments to your students about their writing, it can save time on grading, it generates originality reports and can lead to reducing plagiarism and improving student writing. Available in Blackboard.

Office 365 provides OneDrive for Business, and Skype for Business, among other tools. OneDrive for Business, the cloud storage solution, will allow you to update and share files from multiple devices and work collaboratively on a document at the same time. You will also receive 1 (one) TB of free storage.

Camtasia allows faculty to create, edit, and share instructional videos. It is more in-depth editing to produce visually enhanced videos. It is also very helpful for combining video and audio for a cohesive project. (Must ask Steve Castellano for access steve.castellano@lehman.cuny.edu).

SnagIt is used to create, edit and share screen captures and recordings. Snagit screen captures can be edited and annotated for use in other applications, compiled into standalone video vignettes or added to a Camtasia instructional video. (Must ask Steve Castellano for access steve.castellano@lehman.cuny.edu)

LiveScribe Pen allows you to transform your handwritten notes into an amazing learning tool! Record what you say as you write, draw or sketch and share the "pencasts" so your students can review complex material. Faculty may request a LiveScribe pen (subject to availability). Additionally, some of the video conferencing tools include a whiteboard feature worth exploring.

Would you like a more in-depth breakdown and comparison of tools for recording, editing, and conferencing? Use this Comparison Chart.

Tutorials

  • Complete a Blackboard (Bb) Basics Training Course to build a foundation for using Blackboard to support teaching and learning. This is an asynchronous, self-paced course. On average, it takes about 2-4 hours to complete. Most modules have video tutorials, help guides and links to web resources. You will receive a certificate upon successful completion. Additionally, you may choose to review Lehman's customized Blackboard Tutorial to get familiar with some of the features available before or after completing the Blackboard (Bb) Basics Training Course.
  • Complete an Online Course Readiness Review. This interactive form enables you to review your course to ensure that essential course design elements are in place to support student learning. The Office of Online Education can provide feedback, guidance, and further assist you with the online course design. We invite you to complete the Online Course Readiness Review for each online/hybrid course you teach.
  • Get Students Ready for Online Learning. Lehman College Online Student Orientation “Are You Ready?” is a one-hour, asynchronous, self-paced, non-credit online course, designed to help students get oriented with the Blackboard environment, and assists students in developing the necessary technology proficiency. The orientation provides an overview of the core elements of an online course and prepares students for online learning. Students receive a certificate upon successful course completion. You might have students submit this certificate as proof of completion.

Blackboard Basics Training

Blackboard (Bb) Basics Training Course is designed to build a foundation for using Blackboard to support teaching and learning. This is an asynchronous, self-paced course. On average, it takes about 2-4 hours to complete. Most modules have video tutorials, help guides and links to web resources. You will receive a certificate of completion once you have completed the short quiz at the end of the course.

Additionally, you may choose to review Lehman's Customized Blackboard Tutorial to get familiar with some of the features available before or after completing the Blackboard (Bb) Basics Training Course.

Blackboard Basics Training Course

Instructions for Enrolling in Blackboard Basics Training Course

Step 1: Login to Blackboard

  1. Navigate to the CUNY home page
  2. Click on 'Log in' and select 'Blackboard'
  3. Use your CUNYfirst credentials to log in

Step 2: Search for Blackboard Basics Training

  1. Scroll down the left side of the page and find 'Course Search'
  2. Type 'Blackboard Basics Training'
  3. Click 'Go'. Note: it takes a few second to load

Course Search option

Step 3: Enroll in the Blackboard Basics Training

  1. Hover over the name of the course until you see a dropdown arrow. Click on the arrow.
  2. Click Enroll. Enter the access code: OnlineEducation (Note: the access code is case senstitive)

Enroll Drop-down Menu

Faculty Mentor

Faculty Mentors have been chosen to help Lehman faculty enhance their ability with distance teaching and learning. The selected faculty will have the broad responsibility to serve as a resource person and support for faculty across the four academic schools in leveraging technology to support student learning and quality instruction. Detailed responsibilities are provided below. The Office of Online Education is supporting faculty mentors and will ensure that they have all the necessary resources to be successful in their new roles.

Meet your Faculty Mentors for Spring 2021

Responsibilities of Faculty Mentors:

Faculty Mentors will:

  • Advise department colleagues who need assistance with set-up of Blackboard to support a class (e.g. how to make the course available to students, post an announcement, create a discussion forum, create an assignment, etc.)
  • Answer questions concerning instructional approaches and options to enrich their courses like Blackboard quizzes, discussion forums, Grade Center and rubrics, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and/or VoiceThread, and other relevant institutionally supported technologies.
  • Learn about their department/school faculty needs and communicate the needs for additional resources, training and support as needed to the Office of Online Education and IT.

Lehman Online Course Template and Course Planning Document

Every semester all courses are automatically given a generic Blackboard course template. We invite you to adopt the Online Course Template for your course.

The Lehman College Online Course Template was designed by experienced online faculty to meet the needs of Lehman students. The modular course design provides an attractive and organized learning roadmap that makes it easier for students to navigate the course. The template also includes additional resources such as an Online Student Orientation. By using the Online Course Template, faculty can build out their courses more easily and efficiently, and ensure that their students experience a consistent learning environment.

Components of the Online Course Template

Announcements: Update the "Welcome" announcement with your course name and any other details about the course.

Start Here

  • Meet the Professor - update this section with your picture, name, contact information and office hours/location.
  • Purpose and Structure of the Course - describe the purpose of your course including the course objectives.
  • Get the Textbook(s) - if your course uses a textbook or textbooks include textbook title, author and ISBN. If your course does not use a textbook you can either remove this section or indicate that there is no textbook for the course.
  • Introduce Yourself and Join the Conversation - there are two options available for you and students to introduce yourselves, a discussion forum or VoiceThread. The VoiceThread option is recommended if you will be using VoiceThread throughout your course.

Syllabus

  • Attach syllabus in the Syllabus section
  • Complete the Course Schedule

Office Hours: There are several options for facilitating online office hours. You can decide which option or combination of options would be best for your course.

  • Asynchronous options: Discussion Forum is another option for hosting asynchronous office hours. Students can post their questions or comments to an open Instructor Office Hour forum.
  • Synchronous options: You can facilitate real-time office hours via Blackboard Collaborate Ultra or Zoom. You would need to update either of these options with the link to your course meeting and times of availability.

VoiceThread (for instructor): This section is you, the instructor only. This is where you will create your VoiceThread content then link into the appropriate Week for the course.

Weeks/Modules:

  • This course template consists of 15 weeks. (Can be customized for shorter semesters such as Summer, Winter)
  • Each week includes an "Overview and Agenda" section which list the learning objectives and activities associated with the particular Week.
  • You need to add dates for each week.
  • You need to add the learning objectives and list the activities associated with each for your course.
  • It is also in these "Week/Modules" sections where you will build teaching and learning activity, for example, the discussion forum, the reading/lecture materials, assignments, etc.

How to Adopt the Online Course Template

Contact the Office of Online Education for more information and assistance to adopt.

Course Planning Document

Before you begin to build course using the Lehman Online Course Template, we encourage you complete the course planning document.

Faculty Workshops

  • Essentials for Online Teaching: Planning Your Online Course Workshop. A 75-minute real-time workshop for faculty new to online/remote teaching. This hands-on, interactive real-time online workshop led by the Office of Online Education offers faculty and overview of established best practices for online teaching and learning while simultaneously guiding them through a more purposeful and intentional instructional plan based on these best practices.

  • Preparation for Teaching Online: A Foundational Workshop for CUNY Faculty. We invite you to participate in a two-week, asynchronous, instructor-facilitated workshop, offered several times a year. The workshop models effective design and facilitation skills, and addresses pedagogical approaches to teaching online and hybrid, as well as organization and management of an online class, providing first-hand experience in online learning. You will need your supervisor's (chair's) approval before you register and be scheduled to teach a total of two online or hybrid courses within two semesters following the workshop. Faculty who successfully complete the workshop are eligible for payment based on 10 hours at their NTA rate (up to $550 total).

  • Enhancing Your (Online or Hybrid) Course through the Use of Open Educational Resources (OER) Workshop. We invite you to participate in a two-week, asynchronous, instructor-facilitated workshop. You will learn how to refresh and renew your course using OER, and possibly replace a textbook. You will need your supervisor's (chair's) approval before you register and be scheduled to teach an online or a hybrid course that you plan to enhance with OER. Faculty who successfully complete the workshop are eligible for payment based on 10 hours at their NTA rate (up to $550 total).

  • Professional Development Best Practices Workshops and Webinars Series. A series of workshops and webinars delivered by Lehman College faculty, for Lehman College faculty, sponsored by the Office of Online Education.

    Workshops and Webinars in this Series

  • Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Workshop for CUNY Faculty. We invite you to join this two-week, fully online, asynchronous, instructor-facilitated workshop. The workshop provides an in-depth introduction to accessibility and UDL for online and hybrid teaching. This workshop uses a faculty development approach, which focuses on exploring and evaluating essential concepts and resources. Faculty also have an opportunity to create accessible documents and multimedia, share ideas and observations with colleagues, and receive feedback from workshop facilitators.