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Getting ready for a teaching semester

Page created by Enrique, please feel free to send feedback! This page serves as a summary of all things that you need to consider and have checked off by the start of the semester

 

  • Course planning
    • Meet with your teaching team to decide on the structure of your course. Use your Course Review from last year  plus your recent experiences as the basis for change. What worked well and what needs improving based on student feedback and your own views? Consider the assessment approach, e.g. do the assessments help students to achieve the learning outcomes? Are students over assessed (this is one of the more common negative comments in SET reviews)? Are the assessments conducive to academic misconduct?
    • Do assessments align with the Assessment Policy.  Note that there were updates to the Assessment Policy and Procedures in 2024, to address a few recent developments that require changes. These were addressed through the completion of DCOs in late 2024, so make sure you translate those changes into Canvas. Another example, we strongly recommend that the course's requirements on GenAI (ChatGPT) are very well described, and you can use the templates from TeachWell.
    • It is good practice to have contingency planning on what to do if one or more of the teaching staff are unexpectedly unable to work?  Does everyone know where resources are stored? We recommend using this template 2022 Course XYZ Contingency Planning Template.docx You can see an example of a filled in template here: 2022 ENGGEN 121 Contingency Planning.docx
    • We saw a significant increase in aegrotat applications in 2022 and 2023, although slowing down in 2024.  Consider designing your course assessments around students missing items. Some examples are: best 8 of 10 assignments, or using plussage for your tests/exam, so that the test mark is ignored and the test credit is transferred to the exam if it benefits the student.
  • Course books
    • Consider if you need to print a course book or if a pdf copy will suffice (Some students prefer a printed book but you may wish to poll the class so that Ubiq don't print in excess of requirements - a significant number of students are now just using the pdf versions).
    • The Ubiq bookstore most likely contacted you directly to request your coursebook files. The date for guaranteed delivery by semester start is usually around 4 weeks before semester starts but they will accept late files; just with no guarantees it will be ready in time for the start of semester.  
  • TAs/GTAs
    • By now you should have liaised with your department staff member responsible for appointing TAs/GTAs, to indicate your requirements.   If you haven't do so now - it takes some time to raise contracts.
    • TAs/GTAs are expected to complete Faculty training although only the first time they start teaching, consisting of a 3 hour online Canvas course and a 3 hour in-person workshop (scheduled for the week before the semester starts and the mid-semester break). Please ensure that your GSC/GSA has the details of your TAs that need training.
  • Digital Course Outlines (DCOs) https://courseoutline.auckland.ac.nz/dco/ 
    • These should have been submitted last November. If you have yet to complete yours do so now! See this page for instructions on how to complete DCO. 
    • Double check whether the assessment weightings on your DCO are correct or not. If you wish to change them please contact Enrique del Rey Castillo asking for your DCO to be returned for editing.
    • You can push content from the DCO system to Canvas, to make it easy to set up your Canvas syllabus page (as long as your course has been published).
  • Canvas https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/ 
    • The deadline to publish your course is nominally 2 weeks prior to the start of semester. We appreciate that this may not be possible in all instances but please at a minimum aim to have everything ready to go 1 week out.

    • As per usual there is some key information that you should have up as a minimum before publishing your course, including the course syllabus page (which contains the course outline) and the course assessments (at a minimum you want the assessment name, date and what it is worth in the system – details beyond that can be fleshed out as time permits).

    • See the instructions on how to set up Canvas. 
      • 2025 Sem 1 Canvas instructions (HIGHLY useful doc!)
      • Through the Canvas Baseline Practice project, the changes to meet the minimum requirements should have been implemented for you
      • Consider using Ed Discussions instead of Piazza. More info here
  • Fill in your Course View data  
    • You will need to enter your coursework and exam details for the exams office via the Course View online system 
    • Course view can be accessed here: CourseView
    • If the above link doesn't work, use this one and then select the appropriate term: https://courseview.auckland.ac.nz/#/coursework
    • The system usually closes off just before semester begins, so you should think about things like how much your exam will be worth (remembering it could be online and open book if a lockdown occurs)
    • Any special requirements such as “Must get >40% in the exam to pass course” must be entered in the comments section (and stated on Canvas).
  • Reading lists
    • Talis is a critical tool for courses that use copyright senstitive materials (text books, pulished books, sometimes even papers).  Our Library Academic Engagement Advisor, Suzanne Acharya can offer more advice, and give helpful guidance on recommending ebooks for students, and copyright issues.
  • Extra useful information
    • Term codes at UoA. Term codes are numerical representations of University Semesters/Quarters and used when filling in things like Course View. For example, the term code for semester two 2021 is 1215.