If you are having any stress about the Fall semester, make sure you get these five things done by September 9th to make for a smooth transition to online education.
1: Microsoft Teams
This includes downloading Microsoft Teams (the video chat platform that will be most commonly used by professors this fall) and familiarizing yourself with it. You can learn the basics of teams from this short three minute video.
Even though the video was made for a high school, the principals are the same, and it will still be useful. Here is the link to the video [Credit to Microsoft Education]
2: Microsoft Office 365
Make sure you download Microsoft Office 365 from IT. (coming from a google drive fanatic, it is super helpful to have these products at the ready when someone else uses them, and they actually work very well.) There are some new products in there like One Note which allows for collaborative note taking (like a on google drive) but it can be implemented directly into your teams! Plus power-points, word documents, and excel sheets are all very helpful too!
Click here for more information on where to start with Office 365 like an overview video and links for downloading: Where do I Start?
3: Make sure you can see the New Moodle!
"New Moodle??" you say. Yes there is a new version of Moodle out, which will be found at the same location as our previous Moodle, Moodle.ubishops.ca You will want to be sure you can see it, and are able to comfortably move around and get to any courses you may have on your homepage already.
Use of Moodle is now more important than ever, and the OLTCs have been helping your professors work through all the new tricks like videos with quizzes inside, personal journals, answering questions with drawings, videos, sound and more!
4: Familiarize yourself with the online supports offered to you!
Register for SAAS asap if they are of any assistance to you! You must re-register every semester, Fall 2020 included. The people at SAAS have been working hard to find the best solutions and adaptations for digital and distanced in person accommodations This link will take you to the registration form!
There is lots of online mental health support found at this link and even more specifically from Bishop's here!