Facilitating Classes Remotely
St. Cloud State University and the Minnesota State system office are closely following developments related to the international spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
St. Cloud State Resources
IT Resources: Find teleworking tools for faculty and staff to assist in your class delivery, including common software.MinnState Resources
Faculty/Staff technology assistance: Drop in and one-on-one sessions offered for Zoom, Kaltura MediaSpace, D2L Brightspace
This page contains guidance and resources to help you modify your teaching to work in the learning management system while achieving your planned learning objectives.
As you anticipate course changes, consider the impact of the circumstances and identify your priorities, such as lectures, structuring discussion opportunities or group work, and collecting assignments.
Resources are also available for students attending remote classes.
D2L Brightspace Courses
If you did not previously have a D2L Brightspace course shell for your spring class, one has been created for you. You should see these newly created course shells after March 12.
Access D2L Brightspace
Login to D2L Brightspace with your StarID and password: Login to D2L Brightspace
Communicate Through D2L Brightspace Announcements & Email
Announcements
- Announcements is a tool available in every D2L Brightspace course to notify students of changes and information about your course. This is an easy way to reach all students in a course from within D2L Brightspace.
- Advise students to change their notifications settings to allow Announcements to be forwarded to their email.
Send an email to the entire class at once or email certain individuals via D2L Brightspace. Email is SCSU’s official means of communication with students.
Update Your D2L Brightspace Course Home Page
- Post an Announcement to communicate with your students, suggest that they check their notifications settings to ensure they will receive email copies.
- Include your contact information, including email and phone.
- Consider offering office hours through Zoom.
Share Documents and Information
You can provide course material to students through D2L Brightspace. It provides a place for storing a syllabus and course materials.
How do I...
- Add a module
A module is a folder-like container for content topics. - Add content
Individual items are ‘topics’ and can be files or documents you upload (syllabus, PowerPoint files, Excel, PDFs, etc…) or links to other activities in the course.
Set up a Class Discussion
Creating a discussion in D2L Brightspace is an efficient and easy way for instructors to ask and answer questions and for students to discuss course materials. Your course can have multiple forums and topics. You must create a forum before you can create a topic.
Set up Quizzes
You can use the online quiz question converter to make Word- or text-based quizzes available in D2L Brightspace.
- Question converter Instructions (sign in required) and video walkthrough available.
- Full quizzes video playlist
Check out some other helpful tips for exams and alternative assessments.
Connect Virtually Through Zoom
Best practices for virtual meetings
- Have all attendees mute unless speaking
- Connect external mic or speaker via cord instead of using Bluetooth
In the event of self-quarantine, conduct a virtual meeting through Zoom Video Conferencing. (This link also contains links to tutorials and support information.)
- Set up a virtual meeting in your course using Zoom.
- Post an Announcement in your course with the link to the Zoom session.
- Record the meeting for those who are not able to attend.
- All St. Cloud State Zoom resources
Login to Zoom with your StarID and password:
Login to Zoom
Share Lecture Video and Screen Presentations
To record or share lecture videos or screen share presentations, you can use Zoom or D2L BrightSpace.
- Use Zoom to record a video session with or without your students, then post the video in your D2L course in Announcements, Discussions, and/or Email. After recording, Zoom will email you a link to the recording. Zoom offers screen sharing, and video and audio capture. Learn more about Zoom.
- Use D2L Brightspace for short, simple videos, by using the video recorder within the rich content editor in D2L Brightspace to record a video or audio message for your students. The tool is available in several areas in your course and can be used when posting an Announcement.
Assignments & Grading
Students can submit their assignments in the D2L Brightspace Assignments area. Instructors can create assignments and provide feedback and grades through D2L.
Student Accessibility Services
If faculty have questions related to accommodations and accessibility in their alternative format/online courses please visit our SAS website for more information or call 320-308-4080.
Star Alert
Please make sure your Star Alert cell phone and supplemental email address information is up to date in the case of emergency communications that may be necessary.
Questions?
Please email d2l@stcloudstate.edu for support.