• Planning templates

Consider using this template as you plan how to present the rest of the module and facilitate learning: Planning Template.

• Ensure Zero-rated access to resources via eFundi

eFundi will be zero-rated for South African mobile users using Telkom, MTN, Cell C and Vodacom as Internet service providers (ISPs) during remote teaching. This means that NWU students who use the ISPs listed, can access eFundi for free (T&Cs apply). Users will have to have data on their phones to start with in order to connect. Access to eFundi, the tools from eFundi and content uploaded into the resource folders within eFundi, will be free of charge for mobile users (T&Cs apply). All material uploaded (not linked) to eFundi resources in various formats (e.g. PDF, JPEG, MP4, MP3) can, therefore, be downloaded at a Zero rate / free of charge by eFundi users.

View this graphic and this video to understand what will be zero-rated and what elements will require user data.

• Organise content logically

The Resources tool from eFundi provides a structured space for you to share module content in all formats. The first step would be to plan and create a folder structure for your eFundi site that would be practical for you, your colleagues, and the students. Next, upload each resource within the relevant folder and as part of the upload, you may want to notify students that new material has been uploaded via the eFundi email notification setting. Tip: Ask students to reset their eFundi notifications to allow for messages to be sent automatically from eFundi to their inbox regularly.

Ensure that students know what to do with the resources you provide. If you are using the Lessons tool, clear instructions along with linked resources will provide a guided learning experience for your students. For new or novice users of eFundi, regular and structured announcements with instructions and links to relevant resources will also be sufficient.

• Accessibility is key!

Some students will access material via mobile devices, sometimes with low cellular reception and limited data. Even if access to eFundi may be free for some students (T&Cs apply), it is advisable to reduce the file size of resources as much as possible. The format of the material should also be accessible via mobile devices. This implies converting file formats for example, MS Word documents or PowerPoint presentations to PDF. Visit the File format information section in the Accessibility Guidelines for more information.

• Copyright

​Respect copyright of all resources. Copyrighted articles, books and other resources may not be distributed from eFundi without DALRO clearance:  www.nwudalro.co.za. Read more about the DALRO proposal during this period of remote teaching and learning. Contact your Librarian via email for more information. Some students rely on textbooks being available in the reserved section of the Library. Please observe copyright when making sections of a book available to students via eFundi resources.

• Think, student context!

Consider the physical and psychological space in which your students may find themselves. Ensuring student access is central to all your planning. Within the COVID-19 context, students will be accessing their module site oneFundi  from mobile phones and personal computers with free access to eFundi but at various levels of signal strength. Follow the Guiding principles for enhancing accessibility.

Remember to adhere to your faculty directives, and guidance provided by the programme leader, while considering guidelines, templates, and recommendations available to you from CTL. 

• Concept capture equipment

CTL is making a limited number of cameras available on a loan basis. Get the information on who to contact here.  Please read the Teaching remotely with media  - guide and tutorial.

• Embed self-recorded video and audio on Lessons in eFundi

View this PDF tutorial  or Video tutorial on how to embed self-recorded videos and audio files in Lessons and prevent video content from downloading automatically. Quick tip: Do not embed the video/audio. Rather upload the material in Resources first and then insert a textbox in Lessons. Copy and paste the code below in the Source of the Text editor and replace the placeholder text with your video's URL. To get the URL of your video or audio file, go to Resources and rightCopy the video/audio URL in Resources by right-clicking on the video/audio. 

<p style="text-align:left"> <video controls="" width="80%"><source
src="Insert file URL here" type="video/mp4" /></video> </p>

• ​Screen recording tools:

 

 

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Tool for creating transcripts:

Video editing and compression tool: Windows & IOS

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Video compression tool: Windows

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Smartphone video compression tool:

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Smartphone scanner tool:

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DIY Document camera:

Click here to view the tutorial on how to make a document camera with your cellphone and a paper cup.

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Tutorials for recording from home:

• How to record proper audio on a mobile device
• Good lighting practices at home

CTL created guidelines that could assist lecturers with the development of remote multimodal delivery of content. Remote teaching includes online learning and in some cases, paper-based delivery modes. Herewith provided templates for supporting material for the paper-based mode: 

English only: Tutorial letter, Assessment pack and Reader cover page.

English & Afrikaans: Tutorial letter, Assessment pack and Reader cover page.

SALA Editorial Guidelines for Layout of Paper-Based Study Materials.

Note: If you were not notified that you have students with a need for paper-based content you do not need to prepare for paper-based delivery. 

Orientating your students

By now your students have adjusted to remote teaching and learning but they still require your guidance on how to complete the module through this alternative mode of delivery. Students still require guidance in terms of what remote teaching and learning means within your module.  Consider the following topics to address during orientation.

• What will your students expect from you, as their lecturer?

Moving your lessons online means that you will need to assist your students to focus on important learning activities and resources. Students may easily feel overwhelmed, so provide clear instructions on the type of activities they will engage in, where to find resources, and how to complete assignments. There is no need to provide students with unnecessary material and activities during this time. Keep it simple, keep students focussed on achieving the learning outcomes. 

Provide a clear schedule for the module, that will assist students to pace themselves through the learning activities. Stress that this schedule is flexible and that you will communicate changes as needed. Outline the communication strategy and explain to students how they should and will be able to contact you (for example, via email, online but during office hours, through the eFundi Messages tool, etc.) and when you will be able to respond to questions. Remind students to check eFundi on predetermined dates to keep up with announcements for the module. Assist your students to focus on their time management and communication with you.

• What will you expect of your student?

Explain to students how often they should log in to the eFundi module site, where to start, what activities to complete and provide an estimated time of how long assessments will take them to achieve the outcomes.  Agree on guidelines for communicating with peers. Explain where students can find assessment information, how to submit assessments, and when they can expect assessment grades and feedback.

• Provide easy access to academic and eFundi support resources 

Refer students to the Keep on Teaching and Learning webpage for students, for up-to-date information as well as for tips and advice on how they can manage their remote learning. Refer students to the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) webpage (click on the Student Support icon) for the contact details of student academic advisers, SI leaders, tutors, and academic peer mentors as well as for online student academic development support available. 

Depending on how eFundi was integrated into your planning before remote teaching, students may have or lack specific skills, in using the eFundi tools. Orientate your students on how you will be making use of the eFundi tools that you will be using in the module site. Utilise the existing eFundi instructions and tutorials for students.

Supporting your students during remote teaching may be challenging. Consider questions from a student perspective on remote learning to see what students have to say. Ask for advice on how to answer questions. Share with colleagues.

Communication

It is important to communicate with students in times of uncertainty. In your engagement with students, keep the tone friendly and polite, and reassure students of your guidance and that their academic needs are important to you as their lecturer. Your communication approach with students should meet the principles of being eFundi-based, low tech, low data, low bandwidth and low urgency. 

• Communication strategy

Remote teaching amplifies the need to communicate with students in regular and planned intervals. Your communication approach with students should meet the principles of being eFundi-based, low tech, low data, low bandwidth and low urgency.  Plan for two-way communication between you and students and between students via the module site on eFundi. Outline your communication strategy to the students. Explain when and how they should expect communication from you and how they will be able to contact you or fellow students via eFundi. Keep communication short and to the point but detailed enough so that you are not flooded with questions. Keep the tone friendly and polite, and reassure students of your academic guidance.

• eFundi Communication tools 

The Announcement tool is the standard one-way communication to students from eFundi. When adding attachments to Announcements or using hyperlinks to eFundi resources in the text itself, this seamless way of communicating becomes a powerful tool to guide student learning. eFundi Messages, is similar to an eFundi-based e-mail system and provides an option for private two-way communication between lecturers and students. It is also an important tool that may be used to follow up with individual students and the tool also allows for communication between students. Different dedicated eFundi Chatrooms can be created to allow for spaces for student-to-student support and synchronous (i.e. same time) chats during  ‘virtual office hours’ . The unstructured format of chatrooms is similar to WhatsApp messages. For structured discussions, focussed on specific topics, consider the Forum tool where students can reply directly to a specific topic and post. The Forum tool is also suitable for academic discussions and reflections that should be visible to all.

The eFundi communication tools, with the exception of the Chatroom, are group sensitive and as such, make it possible to communicate with a specific group of students on your module site. 

•  Student-to-student communication

Students rely on one another during face-to-face sessions for emotional, social, and academic support. To maintain a sense of community, create spaces for student-to-student interaction and support for academic purposes. Dedicated discussion forums (with a clear purpose description) or chatrooms provide different options for public communication within your site. Incorporate this in your communication plan and tell students how Chatrooms will be used within your module. Text messages allow for low data (bandwidth) asynchronous and synchronous options. 

The gradual creation of a sense of community and belonging starts with communication. Such a sense of community is important if formal group work forms part of the student learning experience. Read more on group activities or consult with an instructional designer or with an academic developer at CTL to help plan these activities.

• Social media & virtual meetings

The use of social media as part of your communication strategy is an option if you have used this before and students have access to the specific platform. Consult with students first by using appropriate eFundi tools (e.g. Polls or Chatrooms) to determine the option that you intend to use is accessible to all students. You may already be using joinable WhatsApp groups and Google chat; please consider the accessibility guidelines for teaching NWU students online. Please also read our guidelines for using WhatsApp for remote teaching.

While virtual platforms like Zoom and Google Meet allow users to meet online, with or without video, these synchronous online communication tools must be used with caution, not to exclude students. NOTE: Zoom is data intensive and most students have limited access to data. Also their WiFi may not be stable.

CAUTION: Depending on the student profile and student access to the Internet it is NOT recommended to use Zoom for live interaction with students. Where such virtual platforms are used for academic sessions, these should be recorded and the recordings or summary of what transpired made available to all students in the group. Contact IT in advance in order to know more about the platforms that are officially supported by NWU IT. 

• Read the latest information on assessment at the NWU

Important Information regarding Assessment will be updated on an ongoing basis, as colleagues from CTL work to answer emerging questions and offer advice and recommendations. Please pay attention to faculty-specific communications you may be receiving, in case there are special circumstances or guidelines that are contextual to your faculty and/or module. If you notice any discrepancies from what you read here, contact your Deputy Dean: Teaching and Learning for clarification.

• Policies, Rules & Guidelines

Despite the challenges we are faced with during these uncertain times, we should aim to maintain the principles and guidelines of assessment as set out in the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy, to be read with the Rules for Teaching, Learning and Assessment.

Equally important are the General Academic Rules (A-Rules) as well as the Faculty-specific Rules, and the respective Faculty Assessment Plans (FAPs). Take note that with the start of the Emergency Remote Teaching period, the FAPs have already been revised. 

COVID-19 Online Resources 

A selection of COVID-19 Online Resources is available on the joinable CTL APD site on eFundi. If you are already a participant on the CTL APD eFundi site, log into eFundi and then click here to access the COVID-19 Online Resources. If you still need to join the CTL APD site, see this tutorial on how to join a joinable site. 

Academic professional development opportunities

CTL offers academic professional development opportunities in the form of webinars during the COVID-19 period. Visit the Academic Professional Development web page to see the webinars and training opportunities on offer. Register to attend CTL Webinars on Libcal. If you have missed a webinar, visit the CTL APD eFundi site to access all webinar and training opportunity recordings. The video below provides an overview of the resources avaiable on the CTL APD eFundi site.