Course Readiness Checklist

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Foundational

1.1 Home Page provides a visual representation of course; a brief course description or introduction; clear instructions for students (e.g., where to begin) and quick and easy navigation to current content.

●      Work with your ID to update items on the home page

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Foundational

1.2 Course Navigation is clear and consistent (unused items are hidden). Canvas Guide: Navigation Links Links to an external site.

●     Work with your ID to make any changes here as we want to ensure a good learning experience

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Foundational

1.3 Instructor has provided key learning information such as goals, learning objectives, and/or standards as well as course materials, supplemental textbooks, and reading lists.

These items should be reflected in the syllabus, start here page, and within each module’s introduction page.

●     Work with your ID to ensure these items are reflected in the appropriate places

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Foundational

1.4 a) Instructor has provided class expectations such as participation rules, etiquette expectations, code of conduct

1. b) policies for grading, late work, and make-up work and c) technology requirements.

●     Canvas Template has boilerplate language for these items, should you want to edit please work with your ID

●     Be sure what matches the syllabus matches the Canvas site

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Foundational

1.5 Instructor has provided contact information which may include a biography, availability information, communication preferences, response time, and picture.

●     Create a page to include this information, the template provides a space for this

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Foundational

1.6 Communication tools

Provide information regarding different ways to communicate with learners

●     Canvas template has a place holder

●     Communication Tools

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Foundational

2.1 Copyright law is followed. Course breaks no copyright considerations. Canvas Guide: Copyright Resources Links to an external site.

●      If you aren’t sure about copyright, please discuss with your ID

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Foundational

2.2 All links, files, videos, and external URLs are active and working. Canvas Guide: Link Validation Links to an external site.

●      Instead of showing the link, create a description of the destination. (Ie, rather than www.google.com Links to an external site., make it Google Links to an external site.)

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2.3 Learning activities include student-student interaction to foster a sense of community (e.g. discussions, constructive collaboration, and peer reviews).

●      Work with your ID to help design Active Learning opportunities

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2.4 Learning activities include student-teacher interaction (e.g. teacher is actively engaged in authentic conversations and provides quality feedback).

●      Work with your ID to help design Active Learning opportunities

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2.5 Learning activities include student-content interaction (e.g. students interact with engaging content and resources) and provide opportunities for self-assessment.

●      Work with your ID to help design Active Learning opportunities

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2.6 Content is "chunked” into manageable pieces by leveraging modules (e.g. organized by units, chapters, topic, or weeks). Canvas Guide: Modules Links to an external site.

●      Work with your ID should you have any questions here. Here is a guide to Chunking Your Content

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2.8 Modules and items within modules have a thoughtful naming convention (e.g. name the module “Chapter 1: Pandas in the News,” not just “Chapter 1”).

●      ID will help to check for flow and create a usable structure

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2.9 Modules begin with an Introduction/Overview page and end with a Conclusion/Summary page to “bookend” each module.

●      Add in learning objectives from the Course Mapping document

●      To connect with students add a short weekly video to introduce the topics and learning objectives

●      Feel free to edit the template here

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2.10 Text headers and indention are included within modules to help guide student navigation. Canvas Guide: Add Text Header Links to an external site.

●      ID will help to check for flow and create a usable structure

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2.12 Opportunities for course feedback are present and available to students throughout the duration of the course. The instructor uses formal and informal feedback to improve subsequent course revisions.

●     Quizzes can have feedback (makes it automated)

●     Timely response by instructor allows for the feedback

●     Using the Chat function may help alleviate office hours help.

●     A synchronous chat time to help facilitate discussion and feedback

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2.13 Module completion requirements and/or prerequisites are used to provide course structure, pacing, and flow. Canvas Guide: Adding Prerequisites Links to an external site.

●     Canvas has an automation feature that allows this concept to let the learner progress at their own pace.

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Foundational

3.1 Detailed instructions are clearly written to ensure understanding to support student actions.

●     Review major assessments to ensure instructions are clear and not vague.

❏    Work through a consistent upload process for learners

❏    Make the structure predictable from week-to-week

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Foundational

3.2 A variety of assessments is used (e.g., discussions, quizzes Links to an external site., and individual/group assignments) to increase learner engagement and promote active learning.

●     Work with your ID to brainstorm ideas if you need assistance

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3.3 Low-stakes (formative) assessments occur frequently throughout the course to measure knowledge, skills, and attitude and occur before high-stakes assessments.

●     Work with your ID to brainstorm ideas if you need assistance

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3.4 High-stakes (summative) assessments are clearly aligned with stated goals, learning objectives, and/or standards.

●     Work with your ID to brainstorm ideas if you need assistance

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3.5 Assessments support instructors’ use of SpeedGrader to score and provide prompt and high-quality feedback. Canvas Guide: SpeedGrader Links to an external site.

●     If you aren’t familiar with SpeedGrader on Canvas, your ID will train you on this easy tool within Canvas

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3.6 Sample assignments are provided to illustrate instructor expectations.

●     Be sure if using old student examples, permissions were received and privacy is intact OR you can create samples

●     Consider using rubrics as well

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3.7 Rubrics used to evaluate assignments and/or discussions. Canvas Guide: Rubrics Links to an external site.

●     Rubrics resources is available

●     Rubrics offer objective quantifiable assessments

●     Helps the learner with expectations for the assignment

●     Highly recommend for courses with multiple instructors and/or Assistant Instructors (TAs)

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3.8 Canvas Outcomes are tied to assessments. Canvas Guide: Outcomes Links to an external site.

●     Ready for experimentation. :)

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Foundational

4.1 Web tools and/or software are utilized to identify and correct accessibility issues within the course (e.g. Accessibility Checker.) Canvas Guide: Accessibility Checker Links to an external site.

●      When editing course items, pay attention to the Accessibility Checker and make those edits/changes

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4.2 Accommodation Statement is present and easily located (e.g., on Home Page or Syllabus).

●      If a student requests accommodations, please refer them to work with CPE Student Services

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4.3 Color enhances the aesthetic appeal and effectiveness of the course; sufficient contrast between text and background makes information easy to read; and color is not used in isolation to convey meaning. Canvas Guide: Accessibility Checker Links to an external site.

●      Recommend using PPT Templates via CPE standards.

●      Color will be part of the accessibility checker.

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4.4 Images are used to support course content (e.g., banners, headings, and icons) and are accompanied by text descriptions (Alt text) or captions for more complex descriptions. Canvas Guide: General Accessibility Design Guidelines Links to an external site.

●      Recommend using PPT Templates via CPE standards.

●      Images will be part of the accessibility checker.

●      **For Live Teaching or video recording, please be sure to describe a complex image or decision tree aloud as screen readers will not be able to pick that up in a video or via Zoom.

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4.5 Styles (e.g. Paragraph, Heading 2, bullets, etc.) are used to format text. Canvas Guide: General Accessibility Design Guidelines Links to an external site.

●      Recommend using PPT Templates via CPE standards.

●      Styles will be part of the accessibility checker in Canvas.

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4.6 Hyperlink text incorporates the hyperlink destination/purpose (avoid raw URLs, e.g., https://www.canvaslms.com Links to an external site.) and includes words and phrases to provide context for screen-readers (e.g., use “Canvas Guide: Hyperlink” rather than “Canvas Guide”). WebAim: Introduction to Links and Hypertext Links to an external site.

●      Be sure your hyperlinks follow accessibility standards.

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4.7 Audio materials (mp3, wav, etc.) are accompanied by a transcript and videos/screencasts are closed-captioned. Canvas Guide: Create Caption Files Links to an external site.

●      Upload all videos in Aggie Video.

●      For audio only, work with your ID to get transcripts into your course.

●      If a student wants a video transcript, please have them submit a Help Desk Ticket

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4.8 Tables are used appropriately and are accessible. WebAim: Creating Accessible Tables Links to an external site.

●      Use the accessibility checker to see if your table follows standards.

●      **For Live Teaching or video recording, please be sure to describe the table aloud as screen readers will not be able to pick that up in a video or via Zoom.