Course Planning

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your skills, review OTL’s Teaching Guides to help you plan equitable and inclusive courses and assessments.

Basics of Syllabus and Lesson Planning

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Engaging Students

Facilitate classes and motivate students

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Assessing Learning

Create assessments that help students learn

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Inclusive Teaching

Mindfully incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion

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Classrooms

Find where your course(s) are scheduled from the UCSB Schedule of classes or your department.

Classrooms.ucsb.edu provides comprehensive information about the design and technology available in all general assignment rooms.

You may need a key to access the podium and projector in some classrooms. Check classrooms.ucsb.edu (bottom of the page). Keys are available in 1160 Kerr Hall (open M-F 8am to noon).

 

Creating a Canvas Site

The Canvas team can help you design a Canvas site for your courses or projects. Contact the Canvas helpdesk for training and support documentation.

Explore the educational technologies supported by UCSB, and which integrate with the Canvas learning management system.

Test Scanning

For faculty who want to scan in-person multiple choice and/or short answer exams using GradeScope, check out the Test Scanning Center located at 1124 Kerr Hall, where you’ll find helpful staff and resources to help you along each step of the way.

For help with getting started with Bubble Sheet Exams in GradeScope, use these Step by Step instructions/Workflow (text and video). UCSB also supports your use of GradeScope with 1:1 help, contact the ID helpdesk at help@id.ucsb.edu for assistance.

Learning About Courses and Students

It’s likely that the course you’re teaching has been taught previously. Talk to your department chair, undergraduate or graduate director, and/or undergraduate or graduate staff advisor to learn more about some key questions:

  • How does the course fit in the curriculum?
    • (Lower division? Upper division? Does it fulfill general education requirements?)
  • What have prior instructors taught?
    • (Ask for sample syllabi)
  • Who enrolls in the course?
    • There’s a lot to learn about students in any course, especially at a minority-serving, research-intensive institution like UCSB. Initial queries might include: Are undergraduates lower- or upper-division? Transfer students or first-year entrants? Are graduate students from the department or others? Why do students enroll, i.e., what motivates them to be part of the course? What do they bring to the course, and what do they hope to gain?

The Office of Teaching and Learning can help you access demographic information about students enrolled in specific courses, and help you develop ways to learn more about the course. Contact info@otl.ucsb.edu to learn more and talk with an instructional consultant.

 

Course "Crashers"

f your course fills up quickly, you will have students who want to be added to the course. UCSB refers to these students as students "crashers". Here are tips to manage enrollment:

  • Check if your department has policy or guidelines on issuing add codes. Set up a Waitlist to automate the distribution of add codes.
  • Login to eGrades for “add codes” that you can distribute.
  • Give crashers access to your Canvas site.

 

Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities may request instructional accommodations through the Disabled Students Program (DSP).

  • Check with your department about who is responsible for coordinating exam proctoring with DSP.
  • DSP will only arrange proctors when required by the accommodation.
  • Accommodations for extra time on assessments can be managed in Canvas and GradeScope.