Online Asynchronous (OA): Asynchronous online classes have been the default modality for online learning at DePaul up until the COVID pandemic. There are no set meeting times, and course content is available to students 24/7 via D2L. If an instructor offers synchronous meeting opportunities in this modality, student attendance should be optional and students who cannot attend should not be penalized. Asynchronous means that the students do not have to be online at a specific time. Students can progress through weekly content at their own pace. However, there may be weekly deadlines and assignments to complete.

So what does asynchronous mean? Synchronous events are live, versus asynchronous events which are prerecorded.

The main features of Online Asynchronous are:

• No meeting dates or times in Peoplesoft / Campus Connect
• Pre-recorded content - no live required content
• Weekly deadlines - students can work at their own pace during the week.
• Flexible scheduling for exams - students are not expected to take their on a fixed day and time.
• Optional synchronous meetups recommended to build presence

The core to providing good online learning is understanding student needs—principally, convenience. Students are looking for their online experience to be convenient. That is the prism through which that experience will be judged. Their lives are messy and complicated, and this is why they opted for an online course of program. Scheduling live events does not make their lives more convenient, unless the live event provides clear utility and value that could not take place asynchronously.

Students who enjoy online learning and want the flexibility to fit study around their schedules, particularly if work, family and/or travel commitments are demanding.

The Center for Teaching and Learning has created a D2L template that may be helpful for faculty who have not taught online before. If you would like this template copied to your D2L courses:

1. Go to the D2L Request Forms.
2. Click on "Copy Course Content."
3. In the “If your course is not available in the dropdown, type as much course information as you can recall in the box below” textbox, type Driehaus Online Original.”
4. Select the course you want to Copy Into.
5. Click on “Submit."
6. On the next page, verify that the information you have provided is correct, and then click on “Submit."

The template reiterates appropriate online design. Creating a modular course, in which all weekly materials are found in that module, rather than disparate parts of the course.

At the start of each weekly module provide an introduction. In the introduction, explain what will be covered that week (and why it is important). Then share the weekly deliverables, Explain when and how these should be submitted (and you can hyperlink to the appropriate submissions folders or discussion boards as you do this). Then share the content and exercises. To help your students allocate time, indicate how long these activities should take.

It is good practice to separate your syllabus and schedule into two webpages in D2L. Your syllabus will be viewed infrequently - typically at the beginning and end of your course. However, the schedule will be something that students will frequently refer to.

The template contains a structured syllabus that can be adapted to faculty needs.

Avoid placing these documents (and others) as PDFs. PDFs are difficult to read on mobile devices. Our hope is that an online course is more than a collection of documents. Creating pages inside D2L allows you to link to resources within your course - you cannot do this with Word documents or PDFs.

Instead, all content within an online course should be HTML. HTML is easy & quick to update, the text reformats is the user needs to change font size. HTML works on all devices, and more importantly works with screenreaders.

The template has a biography page. Editing this page with your information and a photograph will help your students have a better understand of who you are, and your teaching philosophy.

You may want to rethink deadlines. There is little value in scheduling a deadline just before midnight, unless you are planning to grade at midnight. Instead, schedule your assignment deadlines for the time you intend to grade. That way you are ready to respond to last-minute questions as they arrive from your students, and you provide your students with more time to work on those assignments.

The D2L template for Business Faculty (The Driehaus Online Starter Pack) can help in creating presence. The homepage is a place that you can share news. You can also add Youtube videos and links to resources. We recommend that you post the same email notifications you send to your students on your D2L homepage as well. If students miss your email messages, they will see the messages when they visit your D2L course.

In some asynchronous courses you may find yourself sending multiple emails to your students each week. Without regular reminders, your students may procrastinate.

Using the discussion boards will help provide additional reasons for your students to frequent your online course, particularly if you add discussion boards for fun topics or Q&A. Setting reminders to check the discussion board regularly is good practice.

To make the job of teaching a little more efficient, we suggest that students post questions to the discussion board rather than emailing the professor (unless the question is personal or embarrassing). This results in fewer duplicate questions asking about deadlines or clarifications, but also means that students who might be reticent in reaching out can take advantage of seeing what others are asking.

If you are using a textbook, we highly recommend that you import the publishers test bank into your course. Using these questions as weekly quizzes can add significant value to your course.

1. Log into your course in D2L.
2. Click on “Course Administration” then “Import/Export/Copy Components.”
3. Select “Import Components” and click on “Start.”
4. Click and drag your file into the Upload area.
5. Click “Import All Components.” The import will process and the bank will now appear in the Question Library.exam

Students are particularly appreciative of short but instructive videos in your course. You can take advantage of LinkedIn Learning to add video assets to your course.

But students most appreciate well-designed videos from their instructor. With an educational video you don’t need to be on camera all the time. Richard E. Mayer’s research suggests that a constant presence on camera can be a distraction to the student, so only include yourself if your nonverbal communication and presence truly adds value. Or you can record a weekly introductory video with you on screen, but remove your webcam video from the instructional videos that you create. Videos explaining homework and providing feedback are very helpful to students.

You don't have to record video yourself - the College of Business has a dedicated Mini-Studio, located on the 8th floor of the DePaul Center in suite DPC 8100. The Mini-Studio is a faculty resource, used to develop lecture video for our courses. The rooms are equipped with powerful Apple Mac computers, large Wacom Cintiq tablets, touchscreens, teleprompters, lights, microphones, and professional cameras. Recording takes place via the ScreenFlow application or via Zoom. We aim to have finished recordings in D2L within 24 hours.

To book a room, simply contact our video producer: Theophilus Jamal:

• Telephone: +1 (312) 362-7251
• Email: ojamal@depaul.edu

Some faculty find it helpful to schedule an introductory tour of the Mini-Studio before preparing their materials for recording. You can do this by contacting Theophilus.

In the College of Business, many courses ends with assessments. For the College of Business we recommend these four options:

1. Takehome: Give a week for students to upload to D2L Submissions.
2. D2L Quiz: Timed exam, available for a week.
3. Presentation: Recorded in Panopto
• If students have another option that works, let them use that.
4. Project: Upload to D2L Submissions.

The proctoring tool we use now is Integrity Advocate. Integrity Advocate has a tight integration with D2L and does not require any downloads to work. It is a fully proctored tool that uses a combination of AI and human screening to maintain the integrity of the exam, however it’s important to note that it does not actively prevent students from committing violations, but it does record when this happens and makes it available to the instructor for review.
 
There is no cost to students or the College of Business for this service

Faculty can request Integrity Advocate be set up for their online exams here.

If you need technical help during the quarter, please email CTL@depaul.edu.

If your students have technical issues, please direct them to the Helpdesk at helpdesk.depaul.edu

Training, documentation and resources can all be found online at go.depaul.edu/remote-teaching

Here are ten suggestions for faculty who are new to asynchronous learning or want to improve their existing courses.

1. Establish a strong online presence. One of the key factors that influence student satisfaction and retention in online courses is instructor presence. Instructor presence refers to the degree to which instructors create a sense of connection, communication, and support for students in the online environment.

To establish a strong online presence in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Introduce themselves and their expectations clearly at the beginning of the course.
• Provide regular announcements and updates throughout the course.
• Respond promptly and constructively to student questions and comments.
• Use various modes of communication (e.g., text, audio, video) to convey personality and emotion.
• Provide timely and meaningful feedback on student work.
• Encourage student-to-student interaction through discussion forums, peer review activities, or group projects.

2. Align course objectives with activities and assessments. A well-designed asynchronous course should have clear and measurable learning objectives that guide the selection and sequencing of course materials, activities, and assessments. Aligning course objectives with activities and assessments ensures that students understand what they are expected to learn and do in the course, how they will be evaluated on their learning outcomes, and how each component of the course contributes to their overall achievement.

To align course objectives with activities and assessments in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Write specific, observable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound learning objectives for each module or unit of the course.
• Choose appropriate readings, videos, podcasts, or other resources that support the learning objectives.
• Design engaging and interactive activities that allow students to apply, practice, or demonstrate their learning.
• Create authentic assessments that measure student achievement of the learning objectives.
• Provide clear instructions, rubrics, or criteria for each activity and assessment.

3. Employ inclusive and active teaching strategies. Asynchronous learning can pose some challenges for creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment for diverse learners. Some students may face barriers such as language difficulties, cultural differences, disabilities, or lack of access to technology or internet. To address these challenges, instructors should employ inclusive and active teaching strategies that respect diversity, promote accessibility, and foster engagement in asynchronous courses.

Some examples of inclusive and active teaching strategies are:

• Use universal design principles to ensure that course materials are accessible for all learners (e.g., provide captions or transcripts for audio or video content; use high contrast colors; avoid flashing images)
• Provide multiple means of representation (e.g., use text-based alternatives such as summaries or outlines), expression (e.g., allow students to choose from different types of assignments such as essays or presentations), and engagement (e.g., use gamification elements such as badges or leaderboards; offer choices such as optional modules or extra credit).
• Incorporate culturally relevant content and examples that reflect diverse perspectives and experiences.
• Encourage critical thinking and reflection through open-ended questions or prompts that challenge students’ assumptions or biases.

4. Provide timely feedback. Feedback is essential for student learning and motivation in any course, but especially in asynchronous courses where students may feel isolated or uncertain about their progress. Feedback can help students identify their strengths and weaknesses, monitor their understanding, improve their performance, and adjust their strategies.

To provide timely feedback in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Set clear expectations for when and how feedback will be given.
• Use a variety of feedback methods (e.g., comments, grades, rubrics, or video recordings) to suit different purposes and preferences.
• Provide specific, constructive, and actionable feedback that focuses on the task rather than the person.
• Balance positive and negative feedback to encourage and challenge students.
• Invite students to give feedback to each other through peer review activities or discussion forums.
• Solicit feedback from students on the course design, instruction, and materials.

5. Create a sense of community. One of the challenges of asynchronous learning is creating a sense of community among students who may never meet face-to-face or interact synchronously. A sense of community can enhance student engagement, collaboration, and retention in online courses.

To create a sense of community in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Encourage social presence by asking students to introduce themselves, share their backgrounds, interests, or goals, and use informal language where appropriate.
• Facilitate meaningful interactions by designing activities that require students to exchange ideas, perspectives, or resources with each other.
• Promote group cohesion by forming small groups based on common interests or characteristics, establishing group norms or contracts, and assigning group roles or tasks.
• Support group work by providing clear guidelines, expectations, and tools for collaboration and conflict resolution.
• Recognize individual and group contributions by acknowledging student participation, effort, or achievements.

6. Use multimedia effectively. Multimedia can enhance student learning and engagement in asynchronous courses by providing multiple modes of representation, expression, and engagement. Multimedia can also appeal to different learning styles, preferences, or needs. However, multimedia can also pose some challenges such as technical issues, cognitive overload, or accessibility barriers.

To use multimedia effectively in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Select multimedia that supports the learning objectives and adds value to the course content.
• Use multimedia that is relevant, accurate, current, and credible.
• Use multimedia that is engaging, interactive, and diverse (e.g., animations, simulations, games).
• Use multimedia that is appropriate for the target audience (e.g., language level, cultural sensitivity).
• Use multimedia that is accessible for all learners (e.g., captions, transcripts).

7. Scaffold student learning. Scaffolding is a process of providing temporary support or guidance to help students achieve a learning goal that they could not achieve independently. Scaffolding can help students overcome difficulties or challenges in asynchronous courses where they may have less direct instruction or guidance from instructors or peers.

To scaffold student learning in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Break down complex tasks into manageable subtasks with clear steps or instructions.
• Provide examples, models, templates, or samples of expected work products.
• Provide hints, cues, prompts, questions, or feedback to guide student thinking or problem-solving.
• Provide resources such as glossaries, checklists, rubrics, tutorials, or FAQs to support student understanding or performance.

8. Monitor student progress and engagement. In asynchronous courses, it can be difficult to gauge how well students are learning and engaging with the course materials, activities, and peers. Without regular feedback or interaction from instructors or peers, students may feel lost, confused, or unmotivated.

To monitor student progress and engagement in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Use learning analytics tools such as dashboards, reports, or logs to track student activity, participation, performance, and feedback.
• Use early warning systems or alerts to identify students who are at risk of falling behind or dropping out.
• Use surveys or polls to collect student feedback on their learning experience, challenges, or needs.
• Use quizzes, self-assessments, or reflections to check student understanding, metacognition, or satisfaction.
• Use gamification elements such as badges, leaderboards, or points to motivate student engagement.

9. Provide opportunities for synchronous interaction. While asynchronous learning offers many benefits for online education, it can also limit the opportunities for synchronous interaction that can enhance student learning and engagement. Synchronous interaction can provide immediate feedback, clarification, or support for students who may struggle with asynchronous materials or tasks. Synchronous interaction can also foster social presence, community, and collaboration among students who may feel isolated or disconnected in asynchronous courses.

To provide opportunities for synchronous interaction in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Schedule optional live sessions such as webinars, office hours, or Q&A sessions that complement or supplement the asynchronous materials
• Use video conferencing tools such as Zoom or Teams that allow audio, video, and chat communication among participants.
• Use interactive features such as polls, breakout rooms, whiteboards, or annotations to engage students during live sessions.
• Record and archive live sessions for students who cannot attend them synchronously.

10. Be flexible and adaptable. Asynchronous learning can pose some challenges for both instructors and students who may face unexpected situations or difficulties that affect their online teaching and learning. For example, instructors may encounter technical issues, student complaints, or changes in institutional policies. Students may face personal issues, health problems, or family emergencies.

To be flexible and adaptable in an asynchronous course, instructors should:

• Communicate clearly and frequently with students about any changes or updates in the course schedule, content, requirements, or expectations.
• Provide alternative options or accommodations for students who have special needs or circumstances that affect their online learning.
• Seek feedback from students on their online learning experience and make adjustments accordingly.
• Seek support from colleagues, administrators, or instructional designers who can offer advice, resources, or assistance for online teaching challenges.