UT Austin faculty will be exploring their fields with students in new and innovative ways this fall with the roll out of a hybrid teaching model that includes both in-person and online instruction. To share best practices from leading online teachers and help ease the transition, the president’s fall planning initiative created the Online Education Task Force (OETF) to help faculty deliver great online course content. The task force includes faculty from a wide range of colleges, supported by learning and technology specialists from the Provost’s Office, the Faculty Innovation Center, Liberal Art Instructional Technology Services (LAITS), and the Texas Institute for Discovery Education in Science (TIDES). It is co-chaired by:
- Brent Iverson, Dean, School of Undergraduate Studies
- Jen Moon, Chair, Provost’s Teaching Fellows
- Dave Platt, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs
“One of the primary barriers we identified for faculty members is time. There’s enormous effort that goes into creating great courses and content. Our goal is to help faculty members save time by providing templates and training tools that they can tailor to their needs and interests,” said co-chair, Dave Platt. “We know how dedicated faculty are to their teaching and we want to make sure they have the tools they need to help meet their high standards.”
Below is what faculty can expect from the OETF this summer to help with classes this fall.
- Knowledge Sharing – The OETF created a Canvas page for sharing ideas and best practices. The page includes tips and tricks, discussion boards, templates and other resources.
- Online Training –The OETF worked with experts from around campus to create a two-hour module that is designed to save time and to help enhance online teaching skills. They have also consolidated resources provided by other leading teachers.
- Canvas Templates – Course templates have been designed to simplify the process of setting up and supporting online courses. A standard selection of course components, including integration of teaching tools, for the most common course frameworks is available.
There will be additional support available for teachers through virtual peer observations, college-level networks, and other initiatives designed to provide instruction support. Find more information on the Online Education Task Force’s canvas page.