During the spring 2021 semester, students from across the commonwealth shared their insights on a variety of topics related to instructional strategies that increased their success. Many of these suggestions were discussed within the context of instructional methods used during remote instruction but can be applicable as we return to face to face instruction for the Fall 2021 semester. The three sessions had the themes of “Effective Technology Practices,” “Strategies for Communication and Academic Support,” and “Strategies for Student Engagement.”  Each of these panel sessions can be viewed in full by clicking on the links. Below are key takeaways from these sessions that Behrend’s Center for Teaching and eLearning Initiatives wanted to share with you as you facilitate your Fall 2021 courses.

Organization

Organization in Canvas is extremely beneficial to students. What does it mean to have content organized in Canvas?  See the tips below.

• Organize Canvas content into Modules.
• Add due dates to the assignments so they appear in the To-Do list.
• Use the Syllabus link rather than storing the syllabus as a File in the Files section.
• During the first week of class, provide a brief walk-through of how you have items set up in Canvas because many instructors use the platform differently, which causes confusion and frustration for students.

Communication

Communication with students is another key area that students discussed in the series. Below are tips related to communication based on their recommendations.

• For course communications, students prefer Canvas (Announcements or Inbox) over email.
• Provide face to face and virtual office hours.
• Share your preferred methods for communication from students (should they email you or message you through Canvas) as well as a timeframe for when students might expect to hear back from you. Here are two examples shared in instructors’ syllabi: I will respond to all email messages within 24 hours OR I tend to respond to messages in Canvas after 4:00 pm, so I will get to your questions at that time.

General Tips

There were other strategies that the students shared that they felt were helpful to their success.  These items include the following general tips.

• Incorporate questioning techniques into lectures through Polling or Top Hat. Using these techniques will help promote student engagement.
• Plan small group activities for each class session to allow students to discuss lecture material. These discussion can help solidify student learning and allow them an opportunity to discuss topics that they may still be struggling with.
• Provide lecture recordings so that students can revisit these as a resource for clarification. Many students found the recordings to be a valuable tool. Few students see them as a replacement for their attendance in class but more as a value added to their learning.

If you have questions or would like to discuss how to implement these strategies into your teaching practices, please feel free to set up a consultation with a member of the CTEI team.