This matrix is designed to walk you through the essential steps to prepare yourself and your courses for instruction. While this information is geared for distance education instructors, most topics will have practical application for any class. This includes reviewing your course objectives, material, and resources, as well as connecting with your students and establishing communication. The 'Course Activity' column contains items that should be completed to best prepare. The 'How to Accomplish' column includes suggestions and links to tools you may use. The 'Suggested Date' is a recommendation for when to complete each item.
Preparatory Timeline
Course Activity | How to Accomplish | Suggested Date | |
Pre-Term Start | Create your Teaching Plan | Download and complete (as much as possible) the Course Planning Template. You may download a copy to your desktop or make a copy and save it in your Google Drive. | Several weeks (up to one term is optional) prior to the term beginning |
Update your syllabus | Include your communication plan and new course details as necessary. When you're ready, upload it to Moodle and add it to your Welcome email. | Several weeks prior to the term beginning | |
Identity essential material to distribute | Check your course- what are the essential components for week one? What are your goals for this week, and do any of those goals rely on material that needs to be converted to a digital format?
| Several weeks prior to the term beginning | |
Send first Welcome Message | Send your "first-pass" message to students to inform them how you will communicate throughout the term, through what medium, and how often.
*Class lists are subject to change.You may wish to send this message more than once to include newly enrolled students. | 1-week in advance | |
Survey Student Remote Readiness | In your Welcome message, consider including a short survey to students. While this will not ultimately be the determinate of how you teach, having a better idea of where your students' technology capabilities are can inform important decisions you need to make. Questions: Do you have access to a computer and high-speed internet access at home? Do you have a cell phone? Have you used Moodle before or taken an online or distance education course? For example, if less than half of the class has reliable home internet, requiring synchronous sessions on Zoom might not be successful and an asynchronous option should be considered. | 1-week in advance through the end of week 1 | |
Review Week One | By now you have completed a review of your course content for the first week or two of class (at minimum). You've also considered how you will deliver your essential content, and communicated critical information to your students. (Take a deep breath.) Before the class officially opens, consider the information you have gathered. Is there anything glaringly missing? Are there stakeholders (your dean, admin, support people) who you need to contact for any information? Remember that you can control the availability of your course by showing or hiding the course. | Minimum of 1 week in advance |
Course Activity | How to Accomplish | Suggested Date | |
First Week | Post Welcome and Syllabus | Your roster should now be finalized. Welcome your students through your established communication method. Introduce yourself and the class. | Beginning of week 1 |
Take Attendance | To comply with Lane's Attendance Policy you'll still need to take attendance. If your class is fully online, a hybrid using Zoom for class meetings you can take attendance in person. Fully online courses cannot run a standard attendance check on specific class days, you'll need to use an asynchronous attendance activity such as:
| End of week 1. Check the Lane Academic Calendar for specific term dates | |
Manage Late Enrollments | As usual, there is likely to be much shuffling of students during the first week of a term. If a student approaches you requesting a late add to your course, you will need to electronically approve them to register in myLane. If you have students who are struggling with technology and access, you can refer them to the SHeD (Student Help Desk) for assistance. | Week 1-2, depending on course and/or department guidelines | |
Get Started Teaching! | Hopefully, within a few days, you can start diving into the real curriculum of the course. Remember that there are best practices, pedagogical recommendations, and more tech resources available on the ID Services webpage. | Week 1 - on! |
Course Activity | How to Accomplish | Suggested Date | |
| Ongoing | Host Office Hours | You will need to host office hours. This means being available for student questions and consultation during a specific, predetermined period of time. For distance learning courses you can host virtual office hours through Zoom, or simply be readily available through email or phone. For hybrid and face-to-face courses you may need to set up office hours on campus. Check with your department/division to see what is required. | Weekly |
Deliver Content | Keep calm and carry on: deliver your lectures, assess student comprehension, provide grade information and feedback, and engage with your class to the best of your ability. | Ongoing | |
Support | The Academic Technology Center (ATC) offers walk-in, email, phone, and virtual support Monday through Friday. Visit the ATC website for a complete list of support dates and times, including holidays and summer, and for instructions on how to connect. | Ongoing |
*CC-licensed by PCC and COCC, Oregon, USA, adapted by Lane CC ID Services.