Distance Learning Network
Instructor Guide
Contents
Program Overview
Faculty Agreement Document
Compensation (CECS Only)
Canvas Information
Course Basics
Communication
Examinations
Copyright
Evaluations
Equipment
Adobe Connect Pro
Presentation Standards
Support Contacts
Because we strive to continually improve the CECS distance learning
program, please check the DLN website for updates to this information.
http://umdearborn.edu/cecs/DLN/faculty.
Distance Learning Network
Mission & Goals
The mission of the Distance Learning Network program is to facilitate
the delivery of academically challenging engineering and computer
science courses in a flexible, yet structured environment that allows
learners to integrate education with their personal and professional
lives.
Develop web-based courses that provide the same
academic rigor and learning outcomes as campus-based
courses.
Deliver courses via the Internet in a flexible, but
structured environment.
Increase student retention and enrollment by providing
students the opportunity to attend classes without
geographic boundaries or time constraints.
Faculty Agreement
All instructors that teach CECS distance
learning (online) courses will be asked to
sign an agreement.
This document outlines expectations and
compensation for DL instructors.
Stipends cannot be paid until this
document is signed and submitted.
Compensation
Compensation guidelines apply to CECS
instructors only. College of Business
instructors will be compensated by COB.
Stipend payments will be prepared after the
drop/add period has ended and class counts
are relatively secure.
Compensation
All faculty (tenured, non-tenured and
lecturers) who teach distance learning (online)
courses will be compensated as follows:
Course Development: $3500
one-time-only per course – not per instructor for the course stipend (CECS Only)
 Paid
only after course materials are properly
prepared.
Compensation
Course Stipend (CECS Faculty Only): $40 per
credit hour, per distance learning student
after enrollment in the combined face-to-face
and distance learning sections of the course
reaches 24.
The stipend will apply to the 25th distance
learning student enrollment and above. The
stipend is only for distance learning (online
students).
The per credit hour rate is $40 per credit hour.
Course Basics
CECS DLN courses are offered asynchronously.
Live lecture courses are captured using Mediasite
and posted to Canvas for student viewing.
Lecture videos are available for the entire semester.
Lecture videos can be streamed or downloaded.
Adobe Connect remote presentation software is
available for DL students presentations. It is not
available for weekly use to facilitate a synchronous course.
Instructions for student connection are located at
http://umdearborn.edu/cecs/DLN/student_resources.php
Course Basics – Canvas LMS
Canvas is the learning management system for
all CECS distance learning courses
http://umdearborn.edu/canvas. This is a
campus-wide product and is supported
centrally. Please plan to attend a Canvas
training session.
Canvas is owned by Instructure. There are
many helpful resources in the guides, including
a “getting started” module.
http://guides.instructure.com/
Course Basics – Canvas LMS
Canvas is integrated with the UMD student
information system, Banner.
New course shells are automatically generated
each semester for each course in Banner and
assigned to the instructor of record 8 weeks in
advance of the start of the semester.
Instructors retain access to course content from
previous semesters. Content is easily imported
into new shells. Old course shells cannot be reused.
Course Basics – Canvas LMS
Courses without instructor assignment will
be created, but will not be accessible until
an assignment is made.
Work In Progress courses can be created for
instructors that wish to begin course
development early. Please contact Susan
Guinn or Joe Goraj in the DLN office for
assistance.
Course Basics – Canvas LMS
Students are automatically added to and
removed from courses on Canvas based on
Banner registration information twice each
day.
Teaching Assistants, Graders, and Guests
may be added to your course by sending
an email to either Susan Guinn or Joe
Goraj in the DLN Office.
Course Basics – Canvas LMS
University policy requires administrators to
add additional persons to courses.
The DLN Office manages distribution of
course videos, which are only available to
students enrolled in the distance learning
(online) section of the course. Videos can
be accessed by clicking on the DLN Video
link in the Canvas course site.
Course Basics
Please refer to the Online Course Quality
Management Guiding Priniciples, which have
been approved by CECS Administrative
Council.
MS PowerPoint is the recommended
standard for developing lecture
presentations.
Course Basics
Before the first day of the term:
post a welcome announcement for the
distance learning (online) students on the
course main page. This will begin the
interaction between instructor and students.
post a detailed course syllabus including exam
and due dates using the Syllabus link.
Course Basics
Unedited videos are normally available almost
immediately after the live course concludes.
Edited videos are posted by 5:00 p.m. the first
business day following the live lecture. We ask
that you provide online students an additional 24
hours to complete and submit assignments due
to the timing of video posting.
Course Basics
An ITS Ticket request must be submitted at least
6 weeks prior to the start of the semester for any
special hardware or software needs. Requests
after this time may not be able to be
accommodated.
Minimum technical requirements can be found on
the DLN website, are in promotional materials and
are emailed to students at the beginning of each
semester.
Course Basics
When creating course assignments, please keep in mind
that distance learning (online) students may not have
access to all software available on campus due to licensing
limitations. Please consider providing a freeware
alternative software solution or a modified assignment.
Distance learning (online) students should not be required
to come to campus for labs. If students must purchase
software or hardware, this must be announced during the
first course meeting and should also be clearly stated on
the syllabus and in course announcements. Many software
companies now offer student licensing. Please work ahead
if this option will accommodate your needs.
Course Basics
Maintain a dynamic course site to keep the
students engaged with the course
Don’t load all of the lectures at the same time unless
you use the Canvas “lock” feature to release
information weekly.
Post announcements, add relevant links
Facilitate discussions via Canvas.
Provide links to reliable web resources
Professional societies, research centers
Simulations and animations
Course Basics
Throughout the term:
Provide regular feedback to students
• Use Speedgrader to grade, comment on and return homework
submitted via Canvas.
• Return graded assignments and exams not submitted via
Canvas
– Drop graded work off at the DLN (ELO) Office. To be scanned
and emailed to students at their umich.edu email. We cannot
post them via Canvas.
• Post assignment due dates and exam dates on Canvas using
the Syllabus tool.
Review video posted to course website
Course Basics
End of term
Announce final examination dates and post
dates on Canvas
Return all assignments for final exam study
Send electronic copy of final exam to DL staff
Post final examination and final course
grades on Canvas
Submit final course grades to UMD
Remove copyrighted materials from Canvas
course site.
Communication
Communication is a critical part of any distance
learning course.
Please respond to student inquiries within 24 hours.
Significant information (exam dates, assignment due
dates, etc.) should be posted on Canvas. Please do
not “hide” this information in the video lecture. It
does not encourage or force students to watch the
video – it only creates confusion and frustration.
Communication
Return completed assignments and exams to
students as soon as possible (see previous
information for methods).
Use Canvas for your in-class students too! This is
a great way to encourage interaction, it broadens
the intellectual exchange and opens
communication between students to help them
network.
Communication
Questions that apply to the class in general
should be posted as an announcement with
a reply to avoid answering the same
question multiple times.
Instructors are encouraged to hold “virtual
office hours” and to post items for
discussion. Use the built in tools in Canvas –
Conferences, Chat, Collaborations, Email.
Examinations
Distance Learning students have 3 options
for completing examinations
With the on campus class
With a proctor through the distance learning
office in Extended Learning and Outreach
With an external proctor that is verified by the
distance learning office if the student resides
more than 50 miles from UMD.
Examinations
Per approved CECS policy, distance learning students
should be permitted 24 hours from the time that the
face-to-face students complete their exam to
accommodate for the video lag time, and to provide
for the flexibility that distance learning students
need.
Please review the entire policy at
http://umdearborn.edu/cecs/DLN/exams
Examinations
Please complete the Google Form
request for examination dates at the
beginning of the semester so that
proctors can be arranged.
Suspected plagiarism or cheating of any
kind should be reported immediately to
the appropriate administrators.
Copyright
All materials/images posted on the course page
are covered by US copyright laws.
http://www.lib.umich.edu/copyright/copyright
Contact Bob Fraser (UMD Library).
• 313-593-3740 or rfraser@umd.umich.edu
Images from federally funded research are public domain and
don’t require permission
Contact publisher for use of copyrighted materials (check with
a librarian)
Contact websites for authorization to use images/animations
from their sites.
Instructor and Course Evaluations
Course and instructor evaluations will
be posted via EvaluationKit on Canvas
at the end of the term. Instructors and
appropriate administrative staff can
access the results directly from Canvas.
Distance Learning Network
Equipment Overview and
Presentation
Recommendations
Recording Lectures
Log In to the computer in the classroom with your
Kerberos username and password (same as for your
umich email)
For faster operation, Open your PowerPoint lectures files
from the desktop folders one at a time.
It is recommended that you download your presentation
files into a class folder on the desktop of the computer in
the classroom
You can edit or notate during the lecture without changing your
original files -- files saved to the desktop are copies.
Recording Lectures
Use only the Sympodium stylus or mouse
to “point” to items on the screen.
Distance learning students cannot see what you are
referencing if you use a laser pointer or your finger and
therefore cannot follow the lecture.
If you use the document camera, make
sure that hand-written examples are large
and legible.
Use the zoom feature on the camera which allows you
to enlarge the visible portion of your notes.
Use markers provided at the desk in the room.
Recording Lectures
Be aware of the range of the video camera
and microphone and try to stay within it.
View your course videos on Canvas to get an idea of
the boundaries.
Repeat student questions that are asked
during the lecture session.
This improves the audio for the distance learning
students, as well as clarifies the question for the
students in the classroom.
When You Are Finished Teaching
When you have finished teaching for the
evening, remember to turn off the data
display projector.
Turning off the projector requires two clicks – some rooms
have wall controls, others use remote controls located at the
instructor station.
Projector bulbs are very costly and have a defined number of
useable hours.
Please also “Log Off” of the computer
Developing Presentations
Using CECS Recommendations
MS Powerpoint is recommended as the
standard for presentations.
Use a light colored background on all slides
Use a plain font style
Use a dark font color with a size of 32 or
larger
Developing Presentations
Using CECS Standards
Use a light colored background on all
slides
Use a plain font style
Use a dark font color with a size of 32
or larger
Recording Lectures
Create defined audio start and stop points in
each lecture. This assists the technical
support staff during editing and production.
“Let’s begin”, “Let’s take a break”, “That’s all for tonight”
Using these cues will prevent any private conversations or
“side bars” from being retained in the final produced
version of the lecture.
Instructor Support Contacts
Administrative, Course Development and
Student Service Matters
• Susan Guinn, Program Manager
313-593-3892 / sguinn@umich.edu
Examination & Homework returns, Exam
Proctor Scheduling
• Ben Goraj, Examination Coordinator
313-593-4000 / bgoraj@umich.edu
Instructor Support Contacts
Technical Support – 2040 PEC
• Joe Goraj, Video Production Coordinator
313-593-4000 / jgoraj@umich.edu
Room Monitors - 2000 PEC
Room Monitors are available to help if there is a problem
during class time.
• Brad Jones, Monitor Lead and Video Assistant
313-593-1591 / bjon@umich.edu