Best Practices for Virtual Learning

Need some support navigating the world of online learning? We’ve got you covered.

The Office for Student Engagement & Assessment (SEA) has developed a NEW Eccles Online Learning Assistance Canvas course. This tool teaches you the ins and outs of Zoom, different types of classes (such as hybrid, IVC, etc.), and gives you tips, tricks, and resources to maximize your Eccles Experience both inside and outside of the classroom. Learn more at Eccles.link/online-learning.

Best practices guide. The faculty, in partnership with BLinc., have developed a “best practices” guide designed for students navigating virtual learning spaces. See below.

Virtual Learning Success Strategies

In partnership with the University of Utah’s Learning Center, the Office of Student Engagement & Assessment discusses learning tips and strategies with Eccles students about successfully navigating a virtual learning environment.

Recording Coming Soon

Academic Tips from Eccles Faculty

Eccles Faculty have developed a “best practices” guide designed by Eccles faculty and BLinc. for students navigating virtual learning spaces. View the recording below to learn about this guide and other academic support resources.

View Recording

Class Recordings

  • The University of Utah requires all faculty members to record their classes.
  • Recordings are posted to a Canvas class but cannot be downloaded. They can only be accessed through the secure Canvas login.
  • An individual recording automatically disappears from the faculty member’s Zoom cloud 30 days after the date of recording. However, the recording remains in the class Canvas page until the class is over. Your faculty member will let you know when they will be deleting the recordings.
  • If your class has TA sessions, the TA and faculty member jointly decide whether the TA session will be recorded and posted to Canvas. Check your syllabus to see if the TA sessions will be recorded.

Canvas Notifications in Email

Make sure that any announcements or emails from Canvas go to an email account that you check regularly.

  • Log into Canvas and go to your account
  • Under “Settings”, add an additional email account where you would like messages sent
  • For each of your Eccles classes, go to that class’s Canvas page and click on “View Course Notifications” on the course home page. Make sure you have the notifications for that class sent to the email address you check most regularly.

Faculty & Student Engagement

  • Faculty want to connect with students and increase engagement. Because they cannot see students with cameras turned off, and in the absence of feedback like a raised hand or a thumbs up, faculty are encouraged to call on students who do not have their video picture turned on.

Breaks

  • Faculty build a bio-break every 90-120 minutes just as they would in an in-person class. Regardless of whether a break is built-in, or the duration of your class length, faculty understand that students might need to momentarily step away for any number of reasons.
  • You can turn your camera on and off during class. For example, if you have concerns about recording a child that might be working next to you at the table, you could have the camera off during the regular part of class but turn it on during the breakout session. Breakout rooms are not recorded; Zoom does not allow this. When possible, please turn on your camera in the breakout room to better connect with your peers.

Camera Etiquette

  • Attend class in the most formal setting you can manage. Students engage with class more fully when seated upright at a table or at a desk rather than slouching on a couch or curled up in bed.
  • If you cannot have your camera on during class all the time, add a profile picture to your Zoom account. Please make the picture professionally appropriate.
  • The university now has the ability to display your preferred name through the entire CIS system. More info here.
  • If you find that you are watching yourself while speaking on Zoom, and you need your camera on (say, you are doing a presentation), you can turn off your view of yourself, but still allow others to see you. Click here for instructions.  This is similar to real life in which you don’t see yourself all the time although others do.
  • If you find the pictures of the other students in the class distracting, you can switch Zoom to Active Speaker View, in which the person speaking dominates the Zoom window. In fact, you can adapt many things (like the order or the thumbnail photos) if you wish. More info here.

Technical Issues

  • Some students have reported computer problems during an exam related to their machine deciding that it needs a system update. It is wise to go ahead and do any updates the day before an exam. Doing a full shutdown will also close anything running in the background that could interfere with an exam.