Remote teaching action plan for the new session

1. Set up your space and tech

• Check if you have access to the UTS technologies you’ll need, such as Canvas, Zoom, UTSOnline and Office365 off campus
• Make sure you have the VPN up and running for when you’re working remotely – details are on the UTS Remote Access (VPN) page
• Make sure you have access to a computer with a webcam and microphone for your online classes

2. Make sure your Canvas site is well organised

• Review the content of your Canvas sites (The most recent version of the subject will be automatically copied over into the Spring sites)  
• If you are using MS Teams, Autumn Teams sites will need to be archived and a new version created for Spring
• Double check if all files and links are up to date 
• Make content accessible to all – in the remote teaching mode, it is even more important that all students are able to access learning content and activities easily

Your new Canvas site comes preloaded with content specially designed for you to save you time. This shell includes:

• Subject homepage
• ‘Get started’ module for subject orientation
• A sample module
• Checklist of things to do before your Canvas course gets published to students

3. Consider how will students approach learning in your subject

Adapt your content for remote, face-to-face or mixed-mode learning. These are all different, but the basic steps are the same.

First, students need access to the content of their learning. This could be via:

• Readings or other online resources 
• Powerpoint slides – with or without voiceover
• Short DIY videos 
• Curated open-access resources

Next, students need activities to help them make sense of their learning:

• Set up a discussion forum
• Use some simple and effective techniques to make your online discussions more engaging, like Think, Pair, Share or a Debate
• Try other techniques such as Backchanneling

Remember to add clear instructions for students as you would in class, outlining what you expect them to do, how it connects to assessment or their understanding, and when they need to complete it by.

Then, students need formative assessment to help them improve their learning – a simple way to do this online is to provide an online quiz.

4. Decide which parts of your subject suit synchronous learning

Thinking about whether you really need to hold live classes via Zoom is a good place to start. It’s worth considering whether you could use Microsoft Teams to incorporate some more collaborative activities – synchronous or asynchronous – into your class.

5. Communicate clearly with your students

• Determine your preferred channel to communicate with students and after you do, post this prominently on Canvas
• Ask your students to keep their communication lines open (make sure students have not opted out of Canvas notifications)
• If you have students located in mainland China, you may wish to use email or another channel
• Be aware of the potential for information overload, and that students will be receiving announcements from multiple subjects

6. Teaching your classes

Use UTS-supported tools – UTSOnline, Canvas, Kaltura, Office 365 and Teams, Zoom – will ensure you will be able to get prompt advice and help should anything go wrong. It will also reduce the additional stress on you and your students associated with learning new tools.

7. Be aware of student experiences and circumstances

Most students will have experienced remote teaching in the past year and will have ideas about what works for them and what they find more difficult. Checking in and asking for their opinion in the first few weeks could be very valuable.

Some students will have additional challenges during this time due to technology access or access needs, or due to changed personal circumstances. For instance, some students may normally rely on the campus WiFi network. Be prepared to be flexible for those students. Again, sticking to the supported tools, and having low tech back-up options is the best bet.

8. Plan your next steps

• Seek informal feedback from students on how they feel things are going in the subject – one simple way to do this is via a anonymous poll
• Build in some feedback to students on their progress at an early stage, so that they have the opportunity to act on it – doing this via a quiz or H5P module can save you time
• Follow our Quick Start guide to assessment to adapt your assessment strategy for remote teaching

As you work through the action plan you will see there are many services and support options are available to you. These are hyperlinked to take you directly to the supporter request for help site.

• You can read more about ‘where to get help’ on this comprehensive list of support at UTS
• We’ve also put together a list of common questions and how to get help with them