The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) has a dedicated site with action items to shift courses online. This is your best resource in regards to online instruction. Please visit this site and explore all appropriate links to better understand how to make this transition.
https://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/preparing-to-teach/course-continuity/
ITS information on how to access ISU technology resources remotely are detailed here: https://www.it.iastate.edu/remotework
To ensure the VPN (Cisco AnyConnect) is not overwhelmed, and to avoid unexpected access issues, please only use VPN when absolutely necessary. Applications like Email, Webex, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams, etc), CyBox and Jira can all be accessed through web applications in Okta, without the use of ISU’s VPN.
Conducting classes online
Move coursework to Canvas *Strongly recommended method
This would include posting of materials such as PowerPoint slides, PDFs, and lecture recordings into your designated course section on Canvas. Record your lecture using Studio. Studio is an application inside Canvas which allows you to record your screen and/or webcam and post the video directly to your course. CELT recommends recording your lectures in 15 minute (or smaller) increments. Find out more information about Canvas here: https://canvas.iastate.edu/courses/75/pages/teaching-technology-at-isu?module_item_id=2435983 and find details on how to use Studio here: https://canvas.iastate.edu/courses/75/pages/studio
Using Canvas allows students to access materials 24/7 and is expected to minimize the bandwidth strain that a live broadcast would place on the network.
If instructors need help with recordings, please reach out to your local IT representative. Please use the platform that you are most comfortable with, however IT is only able to support the recommended options at this time.
For your virtual meetings, virtual class times and virtual office hours we recommend you use Webex.
Adapting lab courses to online environments
JoVE and MERLOT are resources for conducting lab instruction in the online realm.
https://it.engineering.iastate.edu/files/2020/03/JoVE-and-MERLOT-3-19-2020.pdf
Hold live lecture/office hours via teleconference *Not preferred
If you hold live lectures, they must be delivered during the posted schedule of class times. All lectures must be recorded and made available to students who are unable to attend in real-time.
Cisco Webex, is the recommended method. Webex is available to all students, faculty, and staff at ISU (use your @iastate.edu email for access) and allows you to hold meetings up to 24 hours in length and 1000 participants. Meetings can also be recorded for later viewing. Webex is available for download or inside of Canvas.
Zoom is another teleconferencing toll that is available to all ISU students, faculty and staff. It allows meetings up to 40 minutes in length and 50 participants. Pro licenses (time limit removed) are available at $18/user/year by emailing solution@iastate.edu and requesting a Zoom Pro License.
Microsoft Teams is a collaboration tool that allows video chat, screen share, and file sharing. Microsoft Teams also has an option to whiteboard together with participants and recording capabilities.
Google Hangouts Meet is a collaboration tool that allows video chat, screen share, and file sharing.
All of the tools mentioned above have Android/iOS versions available for mobile devices.
If instructors need help with teleconference software, please reach out to your local IT. Please use the platform that you are most comfortable with, however IT is only able to support the recommended options at this time.
Whatever teleconference tool you choose, make sure you communicate to your students prior to any scheduled meetings which tool will be used so they can download and test.
Students with inadequate internet access – if students reach out with internet related issues, please direct them to their advisors. Advisors will collect the information and work with the students to resolve their issues.
Engineering Software
Students will have no access to computer labs during this time and limited access to select software on personal computers. Please keep this in mind when structuring your course materials.
Faculty can download many engineering related software packages onto their computers. Check out the list at: https://downloads.engineering.iastate.edu/facstaff