Making the transition to remote work can seem daunting at first, but there are a variety of tools to assist with moving to an online space. Whether you're remotely teaching a course, working from home, or assisting students with attending class online, we're providing an overview of the tools, processes and steps you can follow to make the switch as seamless as possible.
Teaching Remotely
Following the suggestions listed in moving your course to eClass, instructors will be able to access multiple tools to engage with students and continue course discussions. If you are using eClass for the first time, eClass 101 provides a valuable overview of the system's functionalities, as well as training materials. For further details, you can also refer to the Public Health Response Team's recommendations for shifting to online learning, and the Centre for Teaching and Learning's Guide for Teaching Effectively During Times of DisruptionGuide for Teaching Effectively During Times of Disruption.
When it comes to delivering lectures, instructors have the option of using Zoom, Google Hangouts Meet or eClass Live (Adobe Connect) to deliver live, synchronous online lectures. If you prefer to pre-record a lecture, Stream2 is a third-party tool that allows users to pre-record a lecture and embed it into eClass. Take some time to get familiar with each of them and determine which tool will work best for your delivery needs.
Learning Remotely
Your students might be familiar with attending distance learning or remote classes already. However, for those who aren't and have questions for you, suggest the eClass for students overview. To ensure they are meeting all requirements for successfully participating in online courses, read more here. "How to successfully complete your Winter 2020 classes remotely" is another great resource with tips for staying motivated while working from home.
Working Remotely
For staff, there are several options and tools available to make working from home more effective, easy and efficient. Your work laptop is the best way of accessing your work from home. Before accessing any work data from your home computer, be sure to review the Working from Home Quick Checklist.
Guidelines for Working Remotely
In the event that you do not have a work laptop, there are a few steps you can take to prepare your personal computer. Follow our Guidelines for Working Remotely for more information on understanding relevant policies, best practices for sharing information, and verifying that your personal devices are updated and secure.
Connecting to Your Work from Home
Depending on the nature of your work, there are several ways to connect remotely. For most people, the first option is using G Suite applications such as Gmail, calendar, Drive and documents to access your work. Additional methods for remote access include accessing your workstation through Direct to Desktop and remote access to key applications through the Terminal Server. You can learn more about these alternate connection methods here.
Resources
For more information on going remote, visit ist.ualberta.ca for a list of curated resources depending on your role at the University. If you are looking for assistance with eClass, please contact eclass@ualberta.ca.