For many years, assigning a discipline- or course-specific textbook has been the standard for instruction, but that standard is changing. Other resources such as images, films, recorded labs, or interactive simulations can also be used to help students prepare for lecture and/or section each week. Ask yourself:
- What has been assigned in the past, and should that material be updated?
- What materials will help students meet course learning objectives?
- What kinds of resources will appeal to students, or make the subject relevant?
- Does your content follow accessibility guidelines so you can support all students?
Course Reserves: The UCSB Library can make any course materials available to students free of charge via course reserves. Generally, instructors place copies of each assigned text (including course readers, textbooks, novels, films, etc.) on reserve where students can check them out in two hour periods OR full-day loans, depending on what is appropriate for the size of your course.
Library Consultation: Subject Librarians can provide instructors with tailored informational sessions or workshops, specific to a research assignment or project, in 50 or 75 minute blocks. Subject librarians are also willing to work with instructors to help you find new materials.
Texts
Sometimes there is no replacement for the original. Textual materials can provide information to supplement lecture or model discipline-specific writing. Remember, many disciplinary texts are cost-prohibitive; look for inexpensive options that will make the material accessible to students from all backgrounds.
There are probably several general textbooks available for your course. Pay attention to whether new editions have significant changes and inform students if used copies of older editions can be used.
Build a course-specific collection of journal articles, book chapters, worksheets, handouts, etc. using either AS Publications OR SBPrinter.com. Staff will ensure your materials meet United States copyright standards and Readers are often cheaper than commercially published textbooks and workbooks.
Can your materials be provided digitally, as an open access text or a PDF? This can save your students money and ensures they have the material ready to go on day one of the quarter. The UCSB Library subscribes to the Directory of Open Access Books and the Directory of Open Access Journals to help you find these resources for your course. UCSB librarians can also provide presentations to your department or organization introducing the UC Open Access Policy.
Non-Text Materials
Video, audio, and image sources give your course variety to keep it fresh and relatable for students. They also help you support student learning through multiple ways of representing content. The following resources are free for UCSB faculty, staff, and students, and their non-textual materials can be integrated into your Canvas page.
ArtStor offers media collections from museums, archives, scholars, and artists, as well as collections of tools for teaching and learning with visual materials. This site will soon be integrated into JStor Image Search.
Merlot has digital instructional materials (such as virtual laboratories, worksheets, handouts, textbooks, and more) organized by discipline and uploaded by educators around the world.
JoVE has over 10,000 videos of laboratory methods and science concepts and their Faculty Resource Center has guides for how to integrate videos into classroom and remote instruction.
The UCSB Library can purchase streaming licenses for films in their Kanopy database, or arrange to have hard copy films available via Course Reserves. Instructional Development also has an extensive collection of films that can be placed on Course Reserve.
Build your own museum exhibit using PowerPoint; visit a famous museum like The Louvre or The British Museum; or tour places like NASA’s Langley Research Center or The National Aquarium.
PhEt has interactive simulations for Physics, Chemistry, Math, Earth Science, and Biology at different knowledge levels (from kindergarten to graduate programs).
Instructors can also download and upload lesson plans associated with PhET simulations.
Copyright Information for Faculty and TAs
Copyright and other intellectual property protections apply to both materials that you create as an instructor and how you use the works of others in your teaching. While the issue of copyright can seem daunting, the UC has put together and maintains a handy guide for faculty and TAs on these topics. The general guide is available at UC Copyright. Information specific to copyright as it applies to instructional materials is available at Copyright in the Classroom. If you have specific questions after you have reviewed this material, please contact the Office of Instructional Consultation at info@otl.ucsb.edu.
Set up your Canvas Course Site
Use your weekly pattern as a template for organizing content in your Canvas Modules. For example, if your weekly pattern has students reading or viewing materials, then taking a short quiz, put those items in that particular order on your Canvas site. Try to have the first few weeks finished by the first day of instruction, and regularly update due dates and course material as you move forward through the quarter.
Join the Canvas Training site for self-guided instructions on how to use Canvas. Check for more training opportunities on the Canvas Support webpage.
Here are some important considerations for your Canvas site:
- Name all of the items in a Module carefully - don't just use file names.
- Use Module Headers to help students navigate.
- Design quizzes and other assessments well in advance, and then complete those assessments yourself to ensure your instructions, grading criteria, and questions are sound.
- Make a Q&A Forum or a Nectir channel for your students to ask questions outside of class time.
Help Students Navigate through your Canvas Site
Instructional Videos
Used to supplement synchronous lectures or discussion, instructional videos can be posted to Canvas (via Gauchocast) as a resource that students can pause, fast forward, or rewind as much as necessary to learn the material. Instructional Videos free up in-class time to cover other material, engage students in discussion, or solve practice problems.
Scripting and Recording Instructional Videos
Keep the following tips in mind when you are scripting and recording your videos so you can focus students’ attention on the most important information.
Scripting
- Outline how the video relates to assessments, e.g. a quiz, problem set, paper, so its purpose is clear in your head.
- As you make scripting notes, keep the audio concise so the video is as short as possible.
- Avoid tangents.
Planning Instructional Videos from Existing Content
Recording
- Speak with enthusiasm. If you are running out of energy, pause the recording for a short break.
- If you speak any of the written text on the screen, have it appear when you speak it.
- Use visual cues, like arrows or zooming, to highlight essential information.
- Make videos personal using the pronouns “I” and “you,” to speak directly to the audience.
The table below summarizes the many different ways to record instructional videos.
| Name | Description | Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Glass |
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| Recording Studio |
|
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| Panopto |
|
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| Zoom |
|
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| Smart Phone |
|