Versions Compared

Version Old Version 39 New Version 40
Changes made by

Eric Ferguson

Eric Ferguson

Saved on

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.

We will update this page with new communications throughout the semester.

Table of Contents

Past Updates

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

Promoting Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is central to the Syracuse University experience. Hybrid or online learning environments can introduce challenges to ensuring students’ work is their own. Building student self-efficacy with regard to course success is as essential as clearly communicating course-specific academic integrity expectations.

Reducing the underlying motivation to cheat is equally important. Rather than creating an adversarial dynamic, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence Director Martha Diede offers these suggestions to promote academic integrity in partnership with students:

  • Start with “why.” If students need to show they can solve big problems because they’re going to design bridges, build airplanes or work on projects that impact people, tell them that.
  • Remind students that they are in a safe environment where not succeeding helps the instructor-learner pair to determine what learning needs to be continued, repeated or reimagined for success.
  • Allow students to drop their lowest test scores. 
  • Give multiple, lower-stakes exams or quizzes. 
  • Plan for students to work together to complete assessments that demonstrate their skills and knowledge.

You can learn about academic integrity and alternatives to traditional exams by visiting the Online Success Toolkit. For more information about creating an environment that supports academic integrity, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. We also encourage you to take advantage of these online coaching and consultation opportunities: 

We look forward to working with you.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

Engaging Students in the Classroom or Online

Engaging students can present a challenge whether you teach in a classroom, online or using a combination of the two. Three types of student engagement make for particularly strong course delivery:

  • student-instructor interaction; 
  • student-student interaction; and 
  • student-content interaction. 

Instructors can foster these interactions—and leverage technology—in a variety of ways:

  • Use discussion boards and interact with students to encourage and re-direct comments.
  • Use small breakout groups in class. Encourage in-person students to bring devices and headphones with mics. Have them log in to the Collaborate or Zoom session for the class and work with their classmates who are attending online.
  • Use live polling in Collaborate or Zoom. 
  • Bring in a guest speaker using Zoom or Collaborate. 

You also can use student engagement as an attendance indicator. For example, you could use “exit tickets.” Each class, ask students to submit small assignments (quizzes, polls, etc.) immediately following the session. Use these submissions as a means to take attendance.

These are just a few suggestions for getting the most out of your teaching time. For additional ideas and support, we encourage you to take advantage of these online coaching and consultation opportunities:

We look forward to working with you.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Zoom FAQ

With a number of classes taking place on Zoom this semester, we wanted to share an FAQ to help you engage students in a virtual classroom. As a reminder, please instruct your students to log in to their Syracuse University Zoom accounts before joining a meeting. This will ensure they are able to join the class as authorized users.

Some other tips:

How should I record my Zoom meetings?
Zoom offers the ability to record meetings in the cloud. To enable cloud recording for individual meetings, check “Automatically Record Meeting” and “In the Cloud” in the Advanced Options when setting up your meeting. To enable cloud recordings as the default for future meetings, navigate to the “Settings” tab and locate “Recording.” Next, click “Automatic Recording” and select “Record in the Cloud.” You can find additional details and instructions on the Zoom Cloud Recording page.

Can I have multiple hosts for a Zoom meeting?
The meeting host can enable co-hosts once the meeting has begun; however, there can be only one primary host. Co-hosts cannot start the meeting and will not have the ability to make settings changes to the meeting, such as addressing security settings or adding co-hosts. 

How do I add an alternate host who could start my meeting?
The alternative host option allows you to schedule meetings and designate another licensed user on the same account to start the meeting or webinar. This licensed user will receive an email indicating you have added the user as an alternative host with a link to start the meeting. Additionally, you can send the alternative host a calendar invitation with the meeting link.

Are breakout rooms and polling available?
Yes. Breakout rooms and polling are great options to enhance student engagement during your class. The host can access both options under “Profile—Settings.”

For additional ideas and support for Zoom and other resources, we encourage you to take advantage of these online coaching and consultation opportunities:

We look forward to working with you.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence

Congratulations on completing the first week of the semester! We know how hard you worked to get your classes off the ground this fall. The good news is you’re doing it—keep going!

Whether your first week was a big success or not so much, the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) wants to hear from you. The CTLE offers a variety of services to promote effective and innovative teaching, including:

  • confidential, individual consultations; 
  • class observations and feedback sessions; 
  • syllabus reviews; 
  • assistance in reviewing and responding to student feedback; and 
  • answering teaching questions. 

The CTLE also has partnered with Information Technology Services and the Center for Online and Digital Learning to form a comprehensive faculty support team that can help with any teaching or technological issue you might encounter. Contact the faculty support team by emailing help@syr.edu for a private consultation.

For additional ideas and support, we encourage you to take advantage of these online coaching and consultation opportunities:

We look forward to working with you.

AUGUST 27, 2020

Teaching in a Global University

While thousands of students have returned to study on campus, others continue to learn remotely, including international students around the world. As many instructors have found, the challenges associated with international instruction extend beyond a difference in time zones.

Depending on where students are located, they might have trouble accessing Google tools, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Vimeo. Zoom also has encountered recent challenges regarding accessibility in certain countries. These restrictions can change frequently and might depend on how and where users connect.

With this in mind, we recommend instructors with students in other countries use Blackboard as a course organizer, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra for web conferencing, and Kaltura for hosting recorded video content. The ITS Online Learning Services team supports the use of Blackboard Collaborate Ultra for hybrid delivery classes and can assist instructors who choose to go that route.

The faculty support team—which comprises representatives from Information Technology Services, the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and the Center for Online and Digital Learning—is here to answer any questions about teaching or teaching with technology. Please also remember these online coaching and consultation opportunities: 

Thank you for everything you do for your students and for Syracuse University.

AUGUST 25, 2020

Taking Small Bites

...

We look forward to working with you.

JULY 21, 2020

There Is Still Time to Sign Up for Fall Course Transition Services

With the semester a month away, we encourage you to take advantage of the Fall Course Transition Services available until Aug. 3 through Syracuse University’s partnership with Blackboard. As a refresher:

...

We look forward to working with you.

JULY 9, 2020

Four Steps to Jump-Starting Your Fall Course Transition

With the start of the fall semester less than seven weeks away, we wanted to share four steps to getting started with the Fall Course Transition Services available through Syracuse University’s partnership with Blackboard:

...

This is not the semester that anyone envisioned. We realize that everyone’s situation is slightly different in terms of family, resources and more. Even so, please remember that you are not alone—we are all in this together. We look forward to helping you make the best of a challenging situation.

March 12, 2020

To support the transition to online course delivery effective at the end of the academic day on Friday, March 13, we will continue to send regular communications to ensure you have the most up-to-date information related to online teaching and learning. If you haven’t already, please bookmark the Academic Continuity Resources toolkit available at at Syracuse.edu/coronavirus/academic-continuity.

...