Wishing you a happy holidays!
Reflecting the University closure over the holiday break, the EdTech Office will be closed beginning December 22, 2021, and re-opening on January 03, 2022. Any issues submitted during this time will be responded to as quickly as possible when the office re-opens in January.
If you find yourself building your Quercus course over the break and wind up stumped, try searching on our (newly re-themed) EdTech Office support site for an answer to your question. We hope you'll find these helpful over the break - we'll be back, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the New Year (book a consultation now)! |
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Visit our Technical Support site
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If you have any "how-to" questions, please search your question on our technical support site. This site contains guides for tools that are part of UofT's Academic Toolbox and are fully supported. |
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Guides geared to help you prepare for January
We've pulled out some especially timely resources to help you get ready for the start of the Winter 2022 term.
If you're looking for a quick guide that covers the biggies about your Quercus course, complete the Start-of-term Quercus Checklist. This checklist helps you to set up and publish your Quercus course, including how to copy (import) existing content from another Quercus course (or from a template course) and how to cross-list (combine) your course sections. |
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If you're thinking about creating video content, see our guide on self-capturing (remotely) You might jump to reviewing tips for creating visually effective instructional videos, how to increase learner engagement or our new tip sheet on recording instructional videos.
If you have video content, and you'd like to re-use it, you might consider participating in the remote editing program. We've designed a remote editing process that provides (remote) editing services for your self-captured video content. The goal of this project is to offer a quick turnaround for videos; to accomplish this, we are keeping the video editing light (think trimming, cutting, combining tracks, and graphical emphasis but not a complete re-design and enhancement of your materials). Asynchronous video content is an excellent supplemental for synchronous course activities.
If you're thinking of running synchronous sessions (e.g. Zoom), we'd recommend refreshing yourself with your preferred webinar tool (especially if you were a previous Bb Collaborate user, as Collaborate has been discontinued at UofT). If you haven't already, make sure you activate your UofT Zoom account, review how to administer Zoom in your course and watch our Teaching with Zoom session. We'd encourage recording and sharing your synchronous sessions with your course. |
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This 60-minute video is a recording of the Teaching with Zoom session by Inga Breede on August 31, 2021. Topics covered include: Creating and scheduling a meeting, presenting content, how to view/download recordings, reports and captions/transcriptions, how to share recordings in Quercus, and an introduction to interactivity and breakout rooms. |
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What if I need immediate technical support over the holidays?
For UTORid Support: If you are experiencing difficulties logging into your UofT services, please contact the Information Commons Help Desk (located at Robarts Library). You can also call (416-978-4357) or email (help.desk@utoronto.ca) but check their website for their holiday schedule.
For Quercus/Academic Support: The Centre for Teaching Support and Innovation's (CTSI) Quercus Support Team will be offering limited support over the break, focusing on emergency support issues. They will not be running consultations or providing general support. You can submit a ticket by emailing q.help@utoronto.ca. You can also try searching in their Quercus Support Resources.
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Low Effort, big impact tip
Include a learner checklist in your course
 Providing digital signposts for online learners is one way to improve discoverability within your Quercus course. In our experience, a great way to do this is to incorporate a weekly learner task checklist so that students clearly know what to do, where to be, and what to submit. Students can then work through their tasks in the order you'd recommend (feel free to include tips about how long to spend on each task and link to previous course elements).
How do you do this? We recommend just adding a text "Checklist" using a Quercus page (see how to add a new page) in one of your Quercus modules.
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Curious about the status of ACT's Major Projects? You can read the latest updates on ACT's major projects on its wiki page but here's also a summary of updates:
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Discussion Board tool: Work continues on the evaluation of options. In the meantime, instructors can continue to use Canvas Discussions, PeppeR, Piazza and ED through the January to April 2022 semester.
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Enterprise Video/Web conferencing Tool: The University has entered into a new formal agreement with a providers of video and webinar services. The implementation team is hard at work getting things ready for formal roll-out in the new year. In the meantime, members of the community can continue to use the existing services from Microsoft Teams and Zoom without interruption.
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IT Tech Tip
Set up your UTORid Password Recovery
 Before the break (while your UTORid password is fresh in your mind), remember to configure your UTORid password recovery. The Password Reset Tool allows you to reset your UTORid password remotely (there is also an in-person option, but most services are closed over the holiday break) if you have forgotten it. If you choose either the SMS text message or alternate email address option you may change your account recovery method yourself. Thanks to the FASE IT Team for the tip!
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 Weekly Quercus Update
By Anna | December 09, 2021
This week: Course Settings: Menu includes Publish/Unpublish buttons; word counter in text-entry assignments; this week's faculty question about manual sections. |
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 Using a video template to make recording videos easier
By Allison | December 08, 2021
Recording video is a process - see if using a video recording template could help make recording your course video content easier and more consistent. |
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This week's top EdTech questions
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How do I cross-list (combine) my courses? Cross-listing allows Instructors to combine the enrollments from multiple sections into a single course. Instructors who teach multiple sections of the same course (such as multiple lecture, tutorial, practicum, or lab sections) may wish to use cross-listing to merge these sections into one course and only manage a single course's content and grades.
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How do I request a UofT Zoom account? Zoom is not integrated into Quercus - prior to first time use, you will need to activate your UofT Zoom account (if you would like to use it). Review the documentation published by the FASE IT Helpdesk.
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What video editing tools do you recommend? First, decide what video recording and editing software is right for your project. This guide helps you evaluate which tool is most suited (there are benefits and drawbacks to each) to both record and edit your videos. This often involves evaluating editing features, exported video formats, what is able to be recorded, and compatibility with certain platforms. If you are looking for how to record content, see this guide on how to self-capture (and share) course content. If you have course content or are looking to record content that needs to be edited, consider participating in the remote editing process.
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Visit the ETO's EdTech Events calendar for upcoming events related to teaching and education technology sessions, conferences, and deadlines. |
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How can the EdTech Office help?
Check out our service catalogue to get started:
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Book a consultation - We're happy to meet with you to discuss any element of your course (related to technology, of course!). We can help with your Quercus course, planning your online assessments, setting up your home recording station and more!
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Request a new Quercus course - We can create courses for both academic and administrative purposes (though for the latter you might also consider a Microsoft Team). 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 begins with support as you to record your own content (from wherever) and ends with the Education Technology Office to provide editing services and posting to your Quercus course. This is ideal for trimming and cutting webinar recordings. Due to demand, we've decided to continue this service as a regular offering from the ETO.
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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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