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Teaching Tips
It's never too early to start planning for the next term, whether it's the course syllabus or the course materials themselves -- including your Bb course site. Each link below provides timely tips concerning the corresponding week of the semester.

• Week One
  
  • Use your SPOT report to improve your current course
    You can use student responses from your SPOT report to make adjustments to this semester’s course. Review your report to identify which course components worked well and which ones you may want to consider changing. Answers to questions in "Section B: Course & Instructor" can yield information about how students perceived the way you designed the course, the way you taught the material, and the type of feedback you provided.  (Note that a response by 1 or 2 students may appear to be significant on your SPOT report but may not be grounds for substantial changes to your course.) 
    Making one or two changes in your course can produce big rewards for you and your students. Grouping student responses in the following categories can help you pinpoint where best to make those adjustments: (a) syllabus (format, elements, and tone); (b) course procedures/policies; (c) course content (scope, depth, and the examples provided); (d) assigned readings and other resources; (e) activities (in and out of class), (f) assignments/tests; (g) teaching method and style. The written comments (soon to arrive in your mailbox) can also provide indicators on which course practices and components you may want to keep and which could be refined. (For more teaching enhancement resources, see Explore Teaching Strategies.)
  • Block student access to copyrighted materials on last semester’s Blackboard courses
    To comply with current law, copyrighted materials on last term’s Blackboard sites should now be made unavailable to students. To turn off areas containing protected materials, go into the Control Panel on each of your Bb sites and: (1) in the Course Options box, click Manage Course Menu; (2) choose Modify for each course area that holds copyrighted material; (3) uncheck each of the three boxes that allows access; and (4) click Submit. If you want to make an entire course unavailable to former students, go to the Control Panel, and: (1) in the Course Options box, click Settings; (2) choose Course Duration; (3) choose Select Dates, and specify an Ending Date; and (4) click Submit. To hide last semester’s courses on your HOME page, click on the pencil in the upper right of the My Courses module and uncheck all of the “show” boxes next to the course. (For more information on copyright see Copyright: Fair Use and the TEACH Act)
  • First-day attendance policy for online courses
    Applying FSU's first day attendance policy to online courses requires defining what constitutes the first day and what constitutes attendance for an online course. Departments may define these standards for their online courses and may delegate all or part of the decision to individual faculty. The key criteria for defining attendance is that it be tied to some student action(s).
  • Get assignments to recently enrolled on-campus students
    Students who add your course after the last scheduled class of the first week may not have access to your syllabus and assignments. Rather than postpone assignments until the second week or have students fall behind, use your Blackboard (Bb) course website to inform recently added students of deadlines. Students are automatically enrolled in your Bb course site by the Registrar. Using the Send E-mail tool in the Communication area, you can access your students' e-mail addresses and send them the assignments or direct them to course assignments and syllabus posted on your site.
  • Set the tone for your class from the very first day
    Use the first day of class to outline your goals and expectations as well as convey the learning atmosphere for the semester. Will you be involving the students in class discussions, forming groups, or utilizing other active learning techniques? The tips in Instruction @ FSU, Chapter 5, Managing Students and the Classroom Climate (72 Kb) will help you survive the first day and lay the groundwork for a successful and meaningful learning environment.
    

• Week Two - Get to know your students
• Week Three - Use the Technology-Enhanced Classrooms
• Week Four - Deter unoriginal work
• Week Five - Help students maintain integrity in their papers and projects
• Week Six - Get feedback from your students at midterm
• Week Seven - Organize grading criteria in a rubric
• Week Eight - Integrate "active learning" into your class
• Week Nine - Place book orders online
• Week Ten - Use a course calendar to manage your workload
• Week Eleven - Design an online lesson for those days you have to cancel class
• Week Twelve - Increase your students' research skills
• Week Thirteen - Keep a teaching journal
• Week Fourteen - Begin drafting next semester’s syllabus
• Week Fifteen - Copy contents from your spring Bb course site into your summer or fall course site

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