Pre-semester checklist for teachers

Check semester dates at a glance by importing the academic calendar into Outlook (or your preferred calendar app). Your calendar will be populated with University academic dates, but don’t worry about upsetting your own personal calendar—the academic calendar can be toggled on or off.

• Import the academic calendar

Note: If the file doesn’t open, copy the file URL and paste it into your web browser’s address bar; that will prompt the file to download.

Connect IT has provided a technology guide for staff working remotely. Other considerations are:

• Ask an IT-savvy colleague to help you with new technologies or contact the Staff Service Centre.
• Make sure your web browser is up to date. Most browsers update automatically, but if you are unsure, see a guide on how to update your browser.
• Install the University’s VPN service (Virtual Private Network) to your home PC. This connects you to the campus network for access to systems that are behind a firewall.
• Download the Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) app to your computer desktop or mobile device and link it to your University login.
• Make sure you can connect to your Home drive (H: drive) from off campus. See the ‘Working from home reference guide’ on how to connect to your Home drive. If you have problems, submit a Staff Service Centre request.
• In addition to your Home drive, consider the free Cloud file storage through Microsoft OneDrive. OneDrive makes your files accessible from any device. Log in to OneDrive using your University login e.g., jblo007@uoa.auckland.ac.nz. If you don’t already have it, download the OneDrive app to your computer. The app looks just like a regular folder on your desktop but everything saved to it will synchronise with your Cloud storage.
• If you require specialist software in your labs, familiarise yourself with FlexIT. This enables off-campus access to lab software. Request access to FlexIT and check the available software list. If something is missing from the list, please inquire through the IT Portal.
• Install Zoom for hosting or joining online meetings (you will need a webcam or at least a microphone). The University also uses Microsoft Teams to message colleagues or make video calls. For videoconferencing, your internet download speed should be at least 1.5Mbps (megabits per second). Check your speed at www.speedtest.net and talk to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if required.
• For any other University licensed software, contact Connect IT software services through the IT Portal.
• Identify the room/lecture hall that you will be teaching in, read up on how to use the lecterns and check equipment/technology available in the room.

• Familiarise yourself with the information sent to students by the University and what support services are available. This may help minimise duplication of effort and mixed messaging.
• Have you updated your Digital Course Outline?

• If you don’t have access to this semester’s course in Canvas, contact your faculty Course Access Authoriser.
• If you wish to copy content from last year’s Canvas course into this semester’s course, please review the guide on importing a Canvas course.
• Use the link validator tool in Canvas to check all the hyperlinks in your Canvas course.
• Make sure assignments are created in Canvas and added to Assignment groups. Visit our guide on how to prevent most of the common issues by checking the assignment and Gradebook settings in your course.
• You may like to know how to relink and reuse past Panopto videos and H5P content in Canvas.
• Decide on what stance your course is taking on the use of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools in coursework.
• Incorporate messages into your course that promote academic integrity; refer to the academic integrity summary checklist. Include an academic honesty declaration into your assignment instructions.
• Make sure your Canvas course is published. Similarly, remember to publish any modules, pages, assignments, discussions etc., that are ready to be released to the students. Do the same for any new materials that you create during the semester.
• Familiarise yourself with how course streams (Sections in Canvas) are identified and how you can communicate with specific sections.
• Provide clear instructions on how the course will be assessed and provide marking criteria for each assignment. Make it easy for students to find assessment information. This also helps staff at Student Disability Services understand what assessment factors may pose a barrier to students with disabilities and to work with course coordinators to provide additional support.
• Finally, take a look at Canvas baseline practices and work towards weaving these principles of good design practice into your Canvas course.

Providing a personal welcome is a great way to set the best possible tone and climate to develop a positive relationship with students.

Create a personal introduction video and include it in your welcome announcement so students are introduced to the teaching staff.

Explain the course outline and let students know what they will achieve in the course (objectives).

• Consider using this welcome to the course template in your initial announcement.
• Consider also including the personal introduction template.

You can also encourage students to introduce themselves using a Canvas discussion forum to start building a community.

Additional reading
Including off-campus students in a positive learning experience (The University of Sydney)
Adding Some TEC-VARIETY: 100+ Activities for Motivating and Retaining Learners Online

Consider when you want students to familiarise themselves with your Canvas course, when your course will be ‘viewable’, and what things they can view at this time.

Create a to-do list for students using the pre-semester to-do list template (Word docx).

• Explain where students will go to get their course information and updates (refer them to their Canvas Group space if used).
• Ensure students understand how the course will work by referring them to the Syllabus page.
• Add a notification to your Canvas page to direct student who support in exams and tests to apply for special conditions here.
• Explain how the assessments will work for on-campus and/or remote students. Note that you can use Canvas Announcements to message offshore students separately, as they will have been streamed into Canvas Sections by the University’s International Office.
• Ask students to install any software required for the course on their computer. e.g., Zoom.

Ask them to upload a profile photo to Canvas: https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/profile, and for Zoom: https://auckland.zoom.us/profile. Let them know they can use a virtual Zoom background if they wish and whether you expect the to keep their cameras on or off.

If you have students in your course who are overseas or studying remotely from within New Zealand, ask them to download and install the University’s VPN service (Virtual Private Network). This enables them to connect their home computer to the campus network for access to systems that are otherwise unavailable off campus. See information about accessing restricted technologies from off-campus and blocked from various countries.

Please note that not all students have a broadband internet connection. Some students also conduct their studies entirely via a mobile phone. Teachers should be mindful of document file sizes and not expect all students to consume large files. Consider exporting large Word documents and PowerPoint files to compressed PDF files. ‘Chunk’/segment’ videos and upload them to Panopto where possible.

• Make sure your Talis readings list is up to date and familiarise yourself with making the best use of Talis reading lists.
• Check that your course readings are available electronically and order electronic versions of readings where necessary.
• Read about copyright for teaching.

• Provide a weekly guide for your course (download a weekly guide template). State what your students will learn this week (learning outcomes). What tasks do you need them to do? Give clear instructions on how you want students to prepare for and do during and after the class.
• Monitor weekly discussions. Be careful not to ‘jump into the conversation too soon’ – the teacher’s presence can sometimes stifle a discussion. Still, you do not want them to continue with obviously incorrect assumptions.
• Make sure resources are available to all students – remember to publish your Canvas pages, assessments etc.
• Check for students that have learning and teaching adjustments in your course on Symplicity Access to get arrangements organised.
• If you have tests, make sure to check if you have any students with special conditions on Symplicity Access to accommodate well ahead of time
• Record your class sessions and make these available to all students.
• Consider conducting a formative evaluation of your course to understand your students’ pain points. You may be able to adapt your course delivery accordingly.