Step 4: Technology
Baylor makes available a number of tools faculty can use to teach in-person, online and in hybrid formats. This step provides faculty with resources for the two main tools: Canvas and Zoom/Webex. The vast majority of faculty can successfully teach a highly engaging online course with these two tools.
The Main Tools
Canvas
Engaged Instruction relies heavily on the Canvas LMS whether it is fully online, hybrid, blended or even face to face. Keep in mind these three C’s when developing your Canvas Course Sites: Clarity, Consistency, and Connectedness
- Clarity: Create an online learning environment that focuses our students time and energy on mastering the content rather than on the administrative tasks of participating in a course.
- Consistency: Develop an online learning environment that is consistent from week to week or module to module. Always put the readings, videos, and assignments in the same place.
- Connectedness: Utilize the three main communication channels in Canvas (messages, announcements, and forums) to promote the key interactions of instructor to student, student to student and student to content.
Zoom or Webex
Zoom and Webex are key tools in online and hybrid teaching. They are great tools for connecting with your students for virtual class sessions, online offices hours, test review and group collaborations. Breakout rooms provides faculty with the flexibility of moving students from whole class discussions to small group discussions.
- Please visit the Zoom page for resources to support your virtual Zoom sessions.
Note: Students have their own Zoom accounts under Baylor's license, so it is easy for them to conduct their own virtual group sessions using the tool.
Kaltura and Additional Video Options
To create an engaging online course, video should be used in many ways from creating lectures, to giving feedback, to creating presence with periodic check-ins, to provide screencast demos, and much more. Canvas has a built-in tool called Kaltura that can accomplish many of the basics, but the sky is the limit as you wish to go beyond and edit those videos in a variety of ways. Students can also use the video tools to create authentic assessments and to collaborate.
Please visit the Kaltura page for resources to support your use of Kaltura
Technologies Available in Classrooms
Classrooms across the Baylor campus are outfitted with technologies such as projectors, document cameras, video cameras, monitors and more that can be used alongside these software platforms to enhance your pedagogy. All classrooms scheduled by the Registrar to be used Fall 2020 will be equipped for basic recording.