SUBJECT: Policy Changes Related to Canvas and Final Grade Submission
Dear faculty colleagues,
Over the last two weeks, a number of policies and processes have been changed to provide more flexibility and other improvements. We are listing them in this email.
Final Grade Submission Deadline
The new policy is creating more flexibility for faculty by setting a single deadline: all final grades are due at 2:00 p.m. 48 hours after the last final examination date. As a reminder, our old policy required faculty to submit course grades 48 hours after the administration of each final exam. Every term there will be a reminder with the exact day and time the final grades are due.
Canvas Active Participation Date (APD) Extended
Also known informally as the “Canvas Closing Day”, this date is when students are no longer able to submit assignments, contribute to discussions, and receive automatic notifications from instructor feedback. Students have always been able to access and view course materials even after this day. Our current policy has APD on the last day of the week of final exams.
The Digital Education Subcommittee reviewed this policy and provided input on the pros and cons of extending this deadline. To provide more flexibility for faculty and students, a decision has been made to extend APD to the final grade submission deadline day. The committee will review data on final grade submission to see if this change will affect timely submission of grades negatively. Late grade submission tends to impact student success and support services. If the effect is negligible, ADP may be extended even beyond the final grade submission deadline at some point in the next two years.
Online versus Remote Teaching Differences
At its May 2020 meeting, the Digital Education Subcommittee tackled an important theme in recent higher education discussions: the difference between remote and online teaching. The committee defined online education as “intentionally designed for virtual teaching, learning, and student evaluation, employing technology strategically to enhance student engagement and to better meet learning outcomes.” For more detail, please see the document attached to this email.
Canvas Expectations
With the transition of all instruction to remote teaching in winter and summer 2020, and with continued uncertainty around possible similar future disruptions, using the common learning management system – Canvas – for all of our courses has become essential. The document attached outlines a series of campus-wide expectations for Canvas use as recommended by the Digital Education Subcommittee of the UCDC in May 2020. In brief, required elements include the course syllabus, assignments, and gradebook.
The Office of Digital Education will host virtual training / Q&A sessions covering the required Canvas elements. These will be held on Tuesday, May 26 from 10:00am-11:30am and on Wednesday, May 27 from 1:00pm-2:30pm (each session content will be the same, click one of the links to register). The sessions will be recorded and made available on the Faculty Enrichment Sessions page for those unable to attend synchronously.
Canvas Shells for Fall 2020 Available Early
Canvas course shells for Fall 2020 courses should be available by Wednesday, May 20, barring any technical difficulties. This is about two months earlier than usual to give extra course development time without the need to request a work-in-progress (WIP) site. Course shells will be available to those who are listed as an instructor of record in Banner.
Summer Final Exams
Finally, a heads up that the summer final exam schedule is being finalized at the Office of the Registrar this week to be shared with you early next week. Thank you for your patience!
Best wishes!
Ilir Miteza and Mitch Sollenberger