QUERCUS CONSULTATIONS
Happy Holidays!
As the much anticipated break approaches, there's a few things we want you to think about regarding your Quercus courses - End of Term Course Care and New Term Course Preparation. Until the University closes, and during the first week back, we're running new, shorter check-in sessions (schedule your session via MS Bookings) that focus on the aforementioned topics as well as Assessment Review (it's not too late for this term!) and Ready, set, publish! (which is a focused session on getting you ready to launch your winter term course). We are also happy to schedule 1-to-1 (or 1-to-teaching team) consultations to run through your course plan. The sessions are with an instructional technologist from the FASE EdTech Office. See our availability and sign up for the session that works for you!
Session Option 1: Assessment Review
In this 30 minute session, we'll work together to review your assessment (Quercus or Crowdmark). We'll use the time to talk through your strategy, ensure that your availability is set and secure, that your accommodations are configured, and that there's no sticking points in your assessment design. We'll ask some important questions - do you have a contingency plan if something goes wrong? Have you secured any files that are accessed during your assessment? - and make sure you're on your way to a glitch-free assessment (well, as much as humanly possible!). Our goal with these sessions is to maximize academic integrity with the technical settings available while enabling a smooth and supported assessment experience for your students. |
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Session Option 2: Ready, Set, Publish!
In this 30 minute session, we focus on preparing your Quercus course. We start with using a template (Ready!), review course building and structure ideas that you can implement (Get Set!), and then finish by itemizing things to do just before releasing the course to your students (Publish!). We include some practical tips that work within your design and your timeline. If you think you might have more to cover than 30 minutes will allow, you can schedule a more general consultation (60 minutes), too. |
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The EdTech Office is now on ServiceNow!
When you send an email to our fase.edtech@utoronto.ca email, a ticket will automatically be created. We are excited to improve our service, especially with greater analytics that we can use to expand how and when we offer support. If you are waiting on a response from us, do double check for these "new" format for our response emails!
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SELF-DIRECTED QUERCUS SUPPORT
Over the Break
We suspect that many of you will be putting the finishing touches on your winter courses over the winter break. Below are some self-directed guides that will help you get over the course design hump; all are designed to be used individually, at your own pace and interest level. We are open the first week back in January and have cleared our calendars for you to schedule a consultation - we'd love to hear about what kept you busy over the break and how we can help you be ready for the first day of school.
Quercus Course Checklists
If you only have a few hours...use the Quercus Quick Set-Up List for Instructors. This ten step checklist prioritizes the major things we recommend for your course.
If you really want to get into it...use the Remote/Online Course Design Checklist. This in depth checklist takes you through a real course design and helps you re-think your course for the online/remote experience. It's thorough, detailed, and will help you develop an excellent online course but it does require time.
Recording videos for Course Content
If you only have a few hours...evaluate common capturing techniques and review tips for creating effective instructional videos. Pick a style of content that works well for how you teach and then get started making videos, using our recommended video components.
If you really want to get into it... review our entire guide to self-capturing video content from your location, including an overview of popular video styles, preparing yourself for video production, and our recommendations for hardware (order as soon as possible as stock is low!) and software (including no cost editing tools). |
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QUERCUS SESSIONS
Engaging Students through a FASE Q Template
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What about a Quercus Course Template?
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EDTECH OFFICE BLOG
Recent blog posts
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 Celebrating the Holidays - Nailed It! Style
By Allison | December 10, 2020
On Friday, December 04, 2020, three intrepid bakers embarked on the baking challenge of their (short) baking lives. |
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 Engaging Students through a FASE Q Template
By Priscilla | November 26, 2020
Time is of essence! Quercus is complicated, and teaching teams might not have enough time to create a source from scratch. This is why we've developed a FASE Q course template to import. |
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 Troubleshooting Reporting Issues for your SCORM module
By Allison | November 24, 2020
SCORM and Quercus aren't always the best of friends - but this article includes some tips to help them play nicely together. |
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 Kicked out of your BB Collaborate Session!? Do this!
By Priscilla | November 19, 2020
Spotty WiFi? Worried about getting kicked out of your own BB Collaborate session you were hosting? Fear not - we have a contingency plan! |
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 Facilitating Online Discussions in Quercus
By Kate | November 06, 2020
Learn more about the online discussions tools that are integrated into Quercus! |
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TRAINING AND SUPPORT
This week's top EdTech questions
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Is there a Quercus template that I can use in my course to get started? Developing your course shell can be an exciting opportunity to organize and share information and engage with your students, but often times it can be a challenge to know where to start. Using a predefined course shell template can help ensure that you've included recommended course components (especially for an online/remote course) and will also help build consistency among courses (which will help students more easily navigate course content).
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How do I securely share files in Quizzes and Assignments? If you're uploading files to your quiz, the following recommendations will ensure the highest possible security for your files. These guidelines are of particular importance if you are uploading a file to an area that is locked or unpublished, except for a specific availability window.
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How can I safely implement non-vetted tools into my course? Thinking about using a tool that is not currently part of the U of T's Academic Toolbox in your course? Give this post a read to ensure you are implementing these tools according to U of T's provostial guidelines for third party tools and that you're ready to take on the responsibility of supporting the tool. If you are, get up and running using our practical safety suggestions.
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Crowdmark is licensed! Yes, Faculty-wide!
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EDTECH SERVICES
How else can the EdTech Office help?
Check out our service catalogue to get started:
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Schedule a consultation - We're happy to meet with you to discuss any element of your course (related to technology, of course!).
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Request a new Quercus course - We can create courses for both academic and administrative purposes (so no, it doesn't need to be a course, phew!). If you're running a program, committee, group (especially one that has students), this might be a great hub for your work.
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Request guest Quercus Accounts - These can be used to provide access to external guests or to be used in testing.
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Participate in the Remote Editing Process - We've designed a remote editing process that you allows the Education Technology Office to provide editing services for your self-captured video content. This program will only be offered during the Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 terms.
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Book (future) in-studio filming - Coming soon! While this service is not currently up and running due to access restrictions, we do hope to offer this soon. In the meantime, please fill out this form to let us know your interest.
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Looking for 1-1 support? We're happy to schedule individual (or teaching team) consultation(s) to review your course and current stage of design. You can also email us to get started! |
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