Published: 21 October 2020
In light of recent challenges faced by the university and the continuing need to develop online resources and assessments, the Education Delivery Services team within PVCE have developed solution packs to assist teaching staff in tackling common education challenges identified in T1 and T2.
These concise, one-page solution packs contain templates, examples, how to guides and recommendations to support you in designing and delivering online activities and digital assessments. The templates will allow you to easily import the activity into your course and modify as appropriate. We aim to update the current packs for continuous improvement and produce additional solution packs as technology and teaching practices evolve.
If you would like to access further support on these resources, book a consultation on education design and delivery, please reach out to our team via the Education Solutions Consultation form.
If you have any feedback on the solution packs, please utilise the feedback form embedded on the bottom of this page or click here to complete.
One-page solution packs available for download:
Foundation of fully online teaching
Teaching a course fully online can be challenging for both teachers and students. It can be difficult to create an engaging learning environment where students feel connected to their peers and instructors remotely. This solution pack highlights nine principles to consider in designing a fully online and engaging experience for students.
Teaching a course fully online can be challenging for both teachers and students. It can be difficult to create an engaging learning environment where students feel connected to their peers and instructors remotely. This solution pack highlights nine principles to consider in designing a fully online and engaging experience for students.
Moodle structure and theme
Delivery of courses online can increase the flexibility for learners; however, this can also be challenging for students to manage their time, keep track of their studies and maintain self-motivation. The Moodle site is the main interface where students interact with the course instructor, content, activities and assessments, and therefore it is important that the Moodle course site is informative, clearly structured and scaffolds weekly expectations to assist students with planning for upcoming activities and assessments.
Delivery of courses online can increase the flexibility for learners; however, this can also be challenging for students to manage their time, keep track of their studies and maintain self-motivation. The Moodle site is the main interface where students interact with the course instructor, content, activities and assessments, and therefore it is important that the Moodle course site is informative, clearly structured and scaffolds weekly expectations to assist students with planning for upcoming activities and assessments.
Accessibility
At UNSW, we aim to provide a study environment that fosters fairness and equity. It is paramount that quality education is available to everyone, regardless of any disability they have or any assistive technology they may be using. The two accessibility packs below provide practical guidance for designing your Moodle course and resources with accessibility in mind:
At UNSW, we aim to provide a study environment that fosters fairness and equity. It is paramount that quality education is available to everyone, regardless of any disability they have or any assistive technology they may be using. The two accessibility packs below provide practical guidance for designing your Moodle course and resources with accessibility in mind:
Interactive online content
When teaching online or in blended mode, a large amount of course content may be delivered as text files or recorded videos. This format may be challenging for students to remain engage due to the lack of peers and teacher interactions or stimulating questions and activities which may normally accompany the face-to face delivery mode. This solution pack provides some examples and existing tools to build more engaging and interactive online content.
When teaching online or in blended mode, a large amount of course content may be delivered as text files or recorded videos. This format may be challenging for students to remain engage due to the lack of peers and teacher interactions or stimulating questions and activities which may normally accompany the face-to face delivery mode. This solution pack provides some examples and existing tools to build more engaging and interactive online content.
Asynchronous group collaboration or discussions activities using multi-media (sharing audio, video or images) via VoiceThread
Online group discussions via text (e.g. forums) can feel impersonal when courses are delivered online and students prefer interaction with their peers or instructors. VoiceThread can be used to facilitate discussion and peer feedback with the ability to share audio/video recordings as well as provide text comments. This is especially beneficial for activities where students need to practice their oral or performance skills.
Online group discussions via text (e.g. forums) can feel impersonal when courses are delivered online and students prefer interaction with their peers or instructors. VoiceThread can be used to facilitate discussion and peer feedback with the ability to share audio/video recordings as well as provide text comments. This is especially beneficial for activities where students need to practice their oral or performance skills.
Asynchronous oral exams via VoiceThread
When courses are delivered online, it may not be feasible to conduct one-on-one live oral examinations by appointment, due to large class sizes, scheduling issues and live marking time pressures. This solution pack provides examples and guides on how you can run asynchronous oral exams where students can upload video/audio responses or simulate a conversation with provided audio/video stimulus. Student submissions can then be marked later which enables more time for comprehensive constructive feedback.
When courses are delivered online, it may not be feasible to conduct one-on-one live oral examinations by appointment, due to large class sizes, scheduling issues and live marking time pressures. This solution pack provides examples and guides on how you can run asynchronous oral exams where students can upload video/audio responses or simulate a conversation with provided audio/video stimulus. Student submissions can then be marked later which enables more time for comprehensive constructive feedback.
Synchronous oral exams/ performance-based assessments via Teams
Some disciplines require assessing students’ ability to present, perform, recall information and converse in real-time such as in clinical scenarios or language or performance-based assessments. Conducting this online can present challenges including scheduling, moderating sessions and marking. This solution pack provides some recommendations around set up and considerations to ensure the smooth delivery of live oral exams.
Some disciplines require assessing students’ ability to present, perform, recall information and converse in real-time such as in clinical scenarios or language or performance-based assessments. Conducting this online can present challenges including scheduling, moderating sessions and marking. This solution pack provides some recommendations around set up and considerations to ensure the smooth delivery of live oral exams.
Summative online written exams (timed exams)
The challenges around delivering high stake exams remotely include providing a consistent, reliable experience for students, mitigation of academic misconduct in an open book remote environment as well as balancing the marking workload to provide timely feedback. The solution packs below highlight some recommendations to ensure a smooth exam experience for students and contain exam setting and question templates that you can easily modify for your course.
- Delivery of summative (high stakes) exams using Moodle quiz
- Use of STACK question type for calculation-based exams
- Online listening comprehension activities using Moodle quiz
This allows you to deliver exams with automated marking of numerical calculations or algebraic expressions, randomise questions and variables and adaptive feedback (carry-over errors).
The challenges around delivering high stake exams remotely include providing a consistent, reliable experience for students, mitigation of academic misconduct in an open book remote environment as well as balancing the marking workload to provide timely feedback. The solution packs below highlight some recommendations to ensure a smooth exam experience for students and contain exam setting and question templates that you can easily modify for your course.
- Delivery of summative (high stakes) exams using Moodle quiz
- Use of STACK question type for calculation-based exams
- Online listening comprehension activities using Moodle quiz
This allows you to deliver exams with automated marking of numerical calculations or algebraic expressions, randomise questions and variables and adaptive feedback (carry-over errors).
Written assessments (take-home assessments)
With so many different technology tools available in Moodle to deliver individual and/or group take-home assessments, it can be difficult to choose the most suitable tool. This solution pack provides a quick comparison and how to guides to help you decide which technology tool would be most suitable for your assessment needs and take full advantage of their features to provide students with the best learning experience.
With so many different technology tools available in Moodle to deliver individual and/or group take-home assessments, it can be difficult to choose the most suitable tool. This solution pack provides a quick comparison and how to guides to help you decide which technology tool would be most suitable for your assessment needs and take full advantage of their features to provide students with the best learning experience.
Educational media
As we continue to deliver courses online or in blended mode, the need to create engaging education videos and multi-media resources will increase. Creating these resources yourself can be very challenging, the solution packs below provides you with how to guides to get started.
- Tips on how to record videos using your mobile device
- How to create a screencast (produce a video recording on your computer screen such as PPT presentation etc.) with voice over and webcam
- List of freely available sites to find multi-media resources
As we continue to deliver courses online or in blended mode, the need to create engaging education videos and multi-media resources will increase. Creating these resources yourself can be very challenging, the solution packs below provides you with how to guides to get started.
- Tips on how to record videos using your mobile device
- How to create a screencast (produce a video recording on your computer screen such as PPT presentation etc.) with voice over and webcam
- List of freely available sites to find multi-media resources