What's happening in the world of FASE EdTech this month? It's time to start thinking about your Quercus course! We've hit that part of summer where September is coming up quick and we'll take a moment to remind you how we can help as you look towards building (or copying) your Fall courses.
Here are a few ways that the ETO can help:
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Review your Quercus course. We love to help optimize Quercus courses and can help you import a course template, discuss navigation strategies, or answer any of your questions about how Quercus works.
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Talk about different tool solutions. We can review tools available as part of the Academic Toolbox or provide guidance if you are implementing an unvetted tool.
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Develop custom media template. We can build you a new slide deck to visually spice up (and improve the effectiveness) of your presented content. Looking to create an introduction video? Use the Meet the Instructor template!
We're happy to go off-menu (see our full service catalogue) if you have other ideas or questions. Email us at fase.edtech@utoronto.ca and we'll get started! |
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VIDEO TIP
1. Check to see if you have any videos on Stream (Classic)
We highly recommend that you double check that you don't have any videos uploaded to Stream (Classic( because as of August 29, 2023, Stream (Classic) will be retired, rendering any videos hosted there inaccessible. It is being replaced by Stream (on SharePoint). You might be surprised to learn that you have videos on Stream - for example, if you've recorded an MS Teams meeting, you probably have a video on Stream.
How to check if you have videos on Stream (Classic)
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Go to the Stream (Classic) login page
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Use the menu to navigate to My Content > Videos
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Take a look at your "My Content" listing page.
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If you have any content listed here, you need to move it by Tuesday, August 29, 2023.
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If you see a screen with a "Hmmmm, not much to see here" message, then you have no videos on Stream (Classic) and this shut down will not affect you or your content.
If you see this message, you're fully migrated!
Image Description: The image above shows an empty Stream (Classic) account homepage with the messaging "Hmmm, not much to see here" indicating that no videos are stored on this account.
The ETO has written recommendations on how to manage this change to Stream (on Sharepoint), including what to do during each phase of the tool's retirement as well as technical documentation:
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How to access Stream (and other Microsoft applications)
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How to download videos from MS Stream (Classic)
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How to upload videos to Microsoft Stream (on Sharepoint)
For more information, read the U of T Stream Classic Retirement page on the EASI website. |
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What technical guides were updated this month?
We usually update guides as questions come in, changes are made to systems, or as we come up to certain dates in the academic calendar. Here are the (major) updates we made in July:
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VIDEO TIP
2. Watch the new promo video for ESRR
We're coming up on the launch date for a new graduate level online course - Exploration Studies, Resources, and Reserves (ESRR), part of the Mining Industry Management Program (MIMP). To share details of this course, the Content Production team produced a new video (below). Not every course needs a promotional video (if you're interested in something like this, send us an email), but when you're aiming to reach an audience beyond registered U of T students, it can help to provide some context about what the course is and share what makes the course special. It was also a great opportunity to share some b-roll audio interview responses with a wide audience. This video is geared to those who might be considering enrolling in this course as a special student and aims to highlight how this course will elevate the work they are already doing in their industries. |
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This new promotional video for the Exploration Studies, Resources and Reserves (ESRR) course shares an overview of what students will learn in the course and introduces a few of the instructors through short interview clips. |
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CONTENT CAPTURING TIP
3. Choose your lecture capture technique
If you're looking to capture your classes, you have a few options and the solution usually depends on the type of delivery you use. Use the flow chart below to help explore options and figure out what makes sense in your course.
What's the recording technique for you?
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Scenario 01: If you teach in an LSM-classroom (with full teaching podium) and use digital projection, use the built-in lecture capture solution OpenCast (OCCS).
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Scenario 02: If your assigned classroom does not have OCCS, and you have someone to help you film, we'd recommend assisted self-recording (with phone and USB mic).
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Scenario 03: If your assigned classroom does not have OCCS and you do NOT have someone to help you, we'd recommend self-capture using SnagIt (or other screen capture software, as you prefer).
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Scenario 04: If you teach primarily using non-digital teaching modalities and/or one of the other solutions does not work for you, consider joining the FASE Lecture Capture Program.
You might also be interested in our guide that compares all the different lecture capture options including OpenCast (OCCS), self-capture via webinar tool, and self-recording (e.g., using a cellphone).
Do you use chalk n'talk or other non-digital teaching modalities?
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The FASE Lecture Capture Program is designed to support instructors who want to record their course but teach with non-digital methods (in or out of a LSM classroom space). This program has limited availability and we prioritize larger classes. Requests to join the Fall 2023 Lecture Capture program are due by Friday, August 11, 2023 at 5:00 pm. |
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QUICK TECH TIP
Save time by bulk publishing your Quercus modules
In Modules, instructors can now bulk publish all modules or individual modules. Instructors and other course staff with elevated permissions (like TAs) have the option to publish all modules and items, publish all modules only, or unpublish all modules and items.
Note the new "Publish all" option in Quercus
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Image 1: depicts the new “Publish All” option for changing the status of all modules in a course.
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Image 2: depicts the new module status drop-down menu options for individual modules.
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START-OF-TERM TIP
4. Check off your Quercus course to-dos
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Not seeing your Quercus course?
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TRENDING TIP
5. Learn what we learned at the Collision conference
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The North American version of Collision took place in Toronto at the end of June 2023. From their website, it drew over 36,000 attendees - today we're sharing the reflections of 6 ETO staff (+1 ARC friend) who attended one of the world's biggest tech conferences. Spoiler: only two of the seven of us would attend again. To save you time, we are sharing our personal highlights as well as our recommendations on who should consider the consider attending next year's conference.
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What's a conference we're looking forward to?
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QUERCUS TIP
Faculty Questions of the Week
Each week we answer a real question that we've received about Quercus and other Academic Toolbox tools, keeping the questions timely and relevant to you. You can select on the question to read the full inquiry and response or see all previous faculty questions of the week.
Read the Faculty Questions of the Week
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 Can I send a Quercus announcement to my students after the course has ended? (July 27, 2023) | I tried doing this, to get their input, but I did not get a single response! I am wondering if that announcement actually did get sent out. |
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 Can I send Quercus announcements to groups of students? (July 13, 2023) | I'm building a course and am planning to send out announcements to international students. Is there a way to send only to a certain sub-group of students? |
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"JUST CLICK ME" TIPS
August's worthwhile clicks from the Web
Looking for something to read/watch/listen to? Each month we round up things that we've interacted with that we think are worth sharing:
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Teaching and Thinking with Technology | Faculty Focus. To whet your appetite, here's a provocative line: "Higher education has not been particularly embracive to new technologies, at least not since the invention of the internet."
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[Re]generative Diffusion models | Create don't scrape. Of particular interest for those who want to learn more about how AI will effect design professions: "This documents attempts to create an overview of the often confusing landscape of popular diffusion models. Diffusion is NOT the only methodology used to generate image data, but it has become the most popular method due to the flexibility it offers and the results of some of the larger models released on the web."
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Gamified e-learning platform Kahoot gets $1.7B acquisition | TechCrunch. Everyone's favourite (read: most fun!) quiz application has been acquired; changes to availability and pricing are unknown.
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Curious about the photos in the banner?
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August's banner images are a few photos taken during the past month:
Row 01: Left: James edits Sharps videos (self photo by James Zhan)
Row 01: Right: Winnie relaxes on porch (Allison Van Beek)
Row 02: Left: Hurley relaxes on deck (Inga Breede)
Row 02: Right: Unknown kitty has breakfast in Antalya, Turkey (Irina Belaya)
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