From 5c71ab090d6896caedbd8dd4779f84c8f6f74b27 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Niema Moshiri Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2024 15:56:52 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] finished content delivery --- teach_online/content_delivery.md | 116 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++---- teach_online/general_tips.md | 6 +- 2 files changed, 107 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-) diff --git a/teach_online/content_delivery.md b/teach_online/content_delivery.md index bd2594e..84215ac 100644 --- a/teach_online/content_delivery.md +++ b/teach_online/content_delivery.md @@ -26,12 +26,43 @@ we will provide an overview of common LMS choices. (content-delivery-lms-canvas)= ### Canvas -TODO - -(content-delivery-lms-blackboard)= -### Blackboard - -TODO +[Canvas](https://www.instructure.com/canvas) is an open-source {term}`Learning Management System (LMS)` +that has the following key features: + +* **Course Content:** + [Assignments](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Assignments/ta-p/9), + [Modules](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Modules/ta-p/6), + [Quizzes](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-is-New-Quizzes/ta-p/17), + and [Pages](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Pages/ta-p/5) +* **Student Collaboration:** + [Collaborations](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Collaborations/ta-p/61), + [Conferences](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Conferences/ta-p/53), + and [Groups](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Groups/ta-p/16) +* **Instructor Feedback:** + [SpeedGrader](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-is-SpeedGrader/ta-p/13) + and [Gradebook](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Grades-and-the-Gradebook/ta-p/49) +* **Communication:** + [Discussions](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Discussions/ta-p/3), + [Chat](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-is-Chat/ta-p/63), + [Announcements](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Announcements/ta-p/39), + [Calendar](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-is-the-Calendar/ta-p/76), + and [Syllabus](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-use-the-Syllabus-as-an-instructor/ta-p/638) + +(content-delivery-lms-moodle)= +### Moodle + +[Moodle](https://moodle.org/) is an open-source {term}`Learning Management System (LMS)` +that is released under the [GPL license](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License). +It offers many of the same features as [Canvas](#content-delivery-lms-canvas). + +(content-delivery-lms-blackboard-learn)= +### Blackboard Learn + +[Blackboard Learn](https://www.anthology.com/products/teaching-and-learning/learning-effectiveness/blackboard-learn) +is a proprietary {term}`Learning Management System (LMS)` that offers many of the same features as +[Canvas](#content-delivery-lms-canvas), +but with some additional premium features, +such as the [AI Design Assistant](https://www.anthology.com/ai-design-assistant). (content-delivery-course-website)= ## Course Website @@ -49,22 +80,66 @@ we will provide an overview of common choices for hosting course websites outsid (content-delivery-course-website-google-sites)= ### Google Sites -TODO +[Google Sites](https://sites.google.com) is a user-friendly website creation platform +that enables the development of web pages using a +[WYSIWYG](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WYSIWYG) ("What You See Is What You Get", pronounced "wiz-ee-wig") interface, +without the need for any coding or scripting abilities. +There are other website creation platforms that have similar user-friendly interfaces, +such as [Wix](https://www.wix.com/), +[WordPress](https://wordpress.com/), +[Squarespace](https://www.squarespace.com/), +and many more, +though we recommend Google Sites because it is free. (content-delivery-course-website-github-repository)= ### GitHub Repository -TODO +[GitHub](https://github.com) is a software developer platform for +creating, storing, and sharing code that uses the +[Git](https://git-scm.com/) +[distributed version control](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributed_version_control) system. +One nice feature of GitHub is that it can render +[Markdown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown) files in a formatted display. +Importantly, +if a GitHub repository contains a Markdown file named `README.md`, +it will automatically be displayed when a user accesses the repository. +Thus, +instructors can use a GitHub repository as a course website: +the landing page would be the `README.md` file, +and all other pages could be separate Markdown files that link to each other. +The [UCSD COGS 108](https://github.com/COGS108/Overview) course website is a great example. + +A key benefit of using a GitHub repository to host your course website is that it naturally provides version control, +meaning you can easily keep track of your edits over time, +and you can even create a separate +[Release](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/releasing-projects-on-github/about-releases) +for each offering of your course. +The main downside is that you would need to learn how to write in the Markdown language, +but it's a fairly simple language to learn, +and GitHub's web-based file editor makes it easy to edit Markdown files directly in your web browser, +without any need for installing or using separate tools. (content-delivery-course-website-github-pages)= ### GitHub Pages -TODO +[GitHub Pages](https://pages.github.com/) is a special feature of GitHub repositories +in which the developer can *also* deploy a full-fledged website. +*How to Teach Online* is itself actually hosted using GitHub Pages! +Creating a course website using GitHub Pages can be quite a bit more robust than just creating Markdown files in a GitHub repository, +but it requires quite a bit more technical expertise to set up and deploy. +However, once the up-front hurdle of initial configuration is overcome, +it becomes extremely simple to update in the future. (content-delivery-course-website-self-hosted-website)= ### Self-Hosted Website -TODO +The most robust approach, +which is also the most technically challenging approach, +is to completely self-host your own course website. +If you are even considering this option, +you are technical enough to compare different services on your own, +so we will not provide a specific list of services to choose from, +as it will likely go obsolete *extremely* quickly. (content-delivery-discussion-board)= ## Discussion Board @@ -77,12 +152,29 @@ we will provide an overview of common choices for dedicated discussion board pla (content-delivery-discussion-board-piazza)= ### Piazza -TODO +[Piazza](https://piazza.com/) is a discussion board platform with a simple layout in which +students can ask/answer questions and post notes/comments. +The platform rapidly gained usage in the late 2010s, +and as of 2021, +it is no longer free and instead uses a +[paid model](https://support.piazza.com/support/solutions/articles/48001161300-paid-model-for-piazza-q-a): +institutions can purchase an enterprise site license that cover all instructors and students at the institution, +individual departments can purchase a department license to cover all classes and students within their department, +and individual instructors can purchase an instructor license to cover just their own courses. (content-delivery-discussion-board-ed)= ### Ed -TODO +[Ed](https://edstem.org/) is a feature-rich platform that has discussion board functionality (Ed Discussion) +as well as content and autograded assessment delivery functionality (Ed Lesson). +Ed Discussion functions similarly to [Piazza](#content-delivery-discussion-board-piazza) +(e.g. [Q&A](https://edstem.org/q-and-a) and +[course information/announcements](https://edstem.org/discussion)), +but with many additional features, +such as [live chat](https://edstem.org/chat) +and [more robust content within posts](https://edstem.org/#express-yourself) +(including runnable code examples!!!). +Ed has been my strongly preferred platform since I started using it in 2020. (content-delivery-instructional-text)= ## Instructional Text diff --git a/teach_online/general_tips.md b/teach_online/general_tips.md index 707b0a8..739c90b 100644 --- a/teach_online/general_tips.md +++ b/teach_online/general_tips.md @@ -73,12 +73,12 @@ As is the case with *all* disciplines, advances in education research have resulted in the creation of new innovative technologies to better facilitate student learning. These tools can be *incredibly* powerful for engaging students and modernizing instruction! However, one thing to be conscious of is the potential for {term}`Technology Fatigue`: -a sense of overwhelming that can come about from the use of many different technologies TODO CITE. +a sense of overwhelming that can come about from the use of many different technologies. For example, speaking from personal experience, a single undergraduate course might use all of the following technologies: -* [Canvas](https://canvas.instructure.com) or [Blackboard](https://blackboard.com) for announcements/grades +* [Canvas](https://canvas.instructure.com) or [Blackboard Learn](https://www.anthology.com/products/teaching-and-learning/learning-effectiveness/blackboard-learn) for announcements/grades * [Google Sites](https://sites.google.com) or [GitHub Pages](https://pages.github.com) for a course website to display course materials/assignments * [Cogniterra](https://cogniterra.com) for reading assignments and/or quizzes * [Ed](https://edstem.org) or [Piazza](https://piazza.com) for the course discussion board @@ -106,5 +106,5 @@ Thus, my general tip is to try to reduce {term}`Technology Fatigue`: ```{glossary} Technology Fatigue - A sense of overwhelming that can come about from the use of many different technologies TODO CITE. + A sense of overwhelming that can come about from the use of many different technologies. ```