Faculty Resources

Accessibility is a required component of online courses. As instructors, we never know when a student may need accessible content, nor do we know how other students may benefit from such content. Adding captions to a video benefits those with impaired hearing as well as those who might not have access to audio.

The resources in this section provide guidance on how to make your online courses more accessible for all students.

Course planning is a critical component of an online course. The variety of tools available, instructional approaches, instructional materials, and needs of online students should be considered from the start when developing an online course. Planning and organizing in advance help ensure a smooth learning experience for students.

The resources in this section provide guidance on how to plan and develop online courses.

Instructional strategies in online courses can be similar to face-to-face courses, but the available technology opens a world of new strategies. Also, the expectations of online students are different than face-to-face students, requiring instructors to consider how best to facilitate online courses.

The resources in this section provide ideas and instructional strategies for teaching online.

As the saying goes, “Life happens.” Emergencies arise, illnesses occur, and severe weather can cause class or campus cancellations. How one should handle such cancellations depends on the nature of the event. Contingency Planning is useful in navigating these issues.

The resources in this section provide recommendations for handling class meeting disruptions.

Academic integrity in online courses can be promoted through a combination of strategies and a variety of methods.

The resources in this section provide guidance on how to promote academic integrity among students.

Syllabi provide the framework for courses, providing students with important information regarding expectations and program and university policy.

The Syllabus Guidelines section provides recommended language for use in online course syllabi as well as an example syllabus for faculty use.

Online Course Assistants may be utilized in some large online courses. These OCAs support instructors in managing larger classes in the online space or during HyFlex classes.

The resources in this section provide guidance on how best to utilize online course assistants.

Sakai offers flexibility in course design, but setup time, technical knowledge, and options can be overwhelming. To assist instructors in the design of online courses, OOL offers Sakai Course Templates that are customizable.

The resources in this section provide guidance on choosing a course template that will work best for you and your content.