In this Issue: Student Resources for Remote Learning

- Remember, your students are new to Remote Learning
- Everyone is new to Canvas: Student resources
- New to “Campus” life
- Prepare yourself to help your new remote students
- DEU support and contact information

Remember, your students are new to Remote Learning

Although some students may have taken a handful of online and distance education courses, for most students, a full-time course load of remote learning is going to be a new experience with unexpected challenges. Resources and tutorials have been developed by units across campus to help anticipate some of the challenges students might face and help you provide the answers they’ll be looking for within your course. Here are some links to student-focused remote learning resources that you might consider embedding in your course for the fall term.

- Netiquette information for faculty, instructors and students. This resource highlights the basics of internet etiquette including how to appropriately connect and communicate in a remote teaching and learning context.
- Remote learning readiness tutorial for students. This resource engages students in learning about the skills associated with remote learning success and can be embed in your Canvas or Blackboard course as a recommended or required activity.
- Remote learning resources highlighting how students can prepare for a semester of remote learning have been pulled together for students on the students.usask.ca website. Tech tips, study and class tips as well as preparing your workspace and technologies are all covered. This site is updated regularly.
- Academic integrity tutorial for students. This resource introduces students to the concept of academic integrity and guides them to better understand their responsibilities regarding academic work, their rights, and the supports and services available to ensure they succeed within the larger scholarly community. Feel free to embed this in your Canvas or Blackboard course as part of your course based activities on academic integrity.
- Be Well at USask is a podcast for all members of the university community highlighting campus initiatives and resources designed to engage and support. Included are episodes on how to thrive at university, transitioning to remote learning, academic supports, career planning in a crisis, as well as many other student supports.

Everyone is new to Canvas: Student resources

If you are a Canvas early adopter or part of a College/Department that is launching courses in Canvas for fall, remember that students are new to this platform as well. Resources are available to help your students get up to speed with the new LMS and the tools they’ll be asked to learn. Let’s take a look at a few places they can get started with Canvas.

- USask Canvas Student webpages offer information about how students can get started with Canvas, where to find help with Canvas (including a 24/7 chat) and other Canvas and USask resources for support.
- Canvas Student Guide provides a comprehensive collection of how-to articles that will help students learn everything from submitting assignments and quizzes to communicating with you and their peers.
- Canvas Student Community helps students find resources and connect with other, more experienced, students using the Canvas platform.

New to “Campus” life

For those students who are just starting their academic journey at USask this fall there are a number of ways for them to get oriented and find their place within the institution without stepping on campus.

- Online Student Orientations have been organized for a variety of colleges and student groups to provide an official welcome to the University of Saskatchewan.
- College specific resources may also be available for students registered in select colleges.
- New Students pages have also been created to answer common questions that students who are new to the University might be asking. Connecting with PAWS and USask emails, selecting classes, housing and more are covered through these pages.
- New to Usask FaceBook Group is another great place to find some answers and connect.
- Connect online with USask social media accounts for more up-to-date information.

Image: USask CC BY-NC-SA

Prepare yourself to help your new remote students

Regardless of the online resources or the orientations available students will be looking to you, their instructor, to help them with their remote learning questions and concerns. The best way to be prepared for these questions is to be familiar with the tools and navigation of your remote course whether it’s in Canvas or Blackboard. Beyond knowing your course inside and out you may want to consider brushing up on your online facilitation skills.

GMCTL has a number of upcoming Remote Teaching Essential workshops that might help you get prepared for the questions that are sure to arise.

- Synchronous Facilitation
- Online Remote Teaching Bootcamp
- How to Use Discussion Forums Effectively
- …and more

See the GMCTL event schedule here to register for upcoming workshops.