Caltech Adaptable Teaching Series & On-Demand Training
Caltech Canvas Training:
Getting Started with Canvas: a course in Canvas that all Caltech instructors and TAs are enrolled in when first teaching; this course can also be accessed without logging in. It includes an introductory module with Quick Guides about Canvas at Caltech, with helpful checklists for launching and concluding courses.
Video series for instructors, option admins, TAs, academic officers, administrative assistants:
Conversations on Inclusive Teaching:
A short series supporting Caltech faculty and instructors to implement and enhance inclusive and equitable practices in their teaching. Each conversation offers a short overview of a few key inclusive teaching topics or practices, with a brief overview of evidence and examples of use, and then prompts participants to adapt and apply them in Caltech classes.
- Inclusive Teaching YouTube Playlist
- Slides and materials (Caltech affiliates; login required)
Caltech TA Support and Training:
A series of short videos developed and presented by experienced Caltech TAs on the roles and responsibilities students may have as a TA at Caltech. These address both in-person and remote teaching strategies. (Note: Remote teaching is for emergencies only starting April 4, 2022.) Topics include: Active Learning, Holding Office Hours, Fair Grading and Feedback, Leading Effective Recitations, Creating Inclusive Classrooms, Communication Strategies, Preparing for Your First Class, Leading Labs, and more!
Caltech Adaptable Teaching Series (CATS):
Includes How To sessions focusing on using one or more related tools or technologies for specific teaching tasks and Discussions exploring approaches to teaching beyond the tools and technology, through examples and experiences shared by Caltech colleagues. (Note: Remote teaching is for emergencies only starting April 4, 2022.)
- CATS YouTube Playlist
- List of sessions with recordings and materials: expand the accordion sections below for more information.
Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT.
Video | Slides
Join Jenn Weaver, CTLO Associate Director for University Teaching for this quick 101 session about how to get started in adapting your in-person course to an online environment. The first half of this "How To" session will give participants a roadmap for identifying priorities and highlight some of the choices that Caltech instructors made in their spring courses. After this overview, participants can share the challenges they are facing and ask questions about effective remote teaching practices. Missed this session?
Thursday, August 6, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT.
Video | Slides
Join Leslie Maxfield, AMT Director, and Gina Marie Napolitan, AMT Multimedia & Video Specialist, for this overview of how to use Zoom and Canvas Studio to create video content for fall courses. Pre-recorded videos can be assigned to students to watch asynchronously, so that your synchronous meeting time with students can focus on discussion or collaborative problem-solving. The first half of this "How To" session will introduce the tools, their distinct advantages, how to get started, and where to find further instructions. After this overview, facilitators will stay on Zoom so that participants can try out the tools, ask questions, or demo other features.
Friday, August 7, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Cassandra Horii, CTLO Director, and Bill Hall, Instructional Designer, for a quick tour of getting started with Canvas. The first half of this "How To" session will give instructors an introduction to their course blueprint, main features of setting up the course structure, and how to explore additional choices and details. After this overview, facilitators will stay on Zoom so that participants can try out Canvas, ask questions, or demo other features.
Monday, August 10, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
This session will provide details about the Caltech Library's plans for supporting Fall term teaching. It will discuss options available for instructors to make required and optional course materials available to students, both in digital and physical form. Specifically, historical student use of reserves, copyright policy around digital reserves, and textbook purchasing options will be discussed. Texts required for classes are due into the Library's Adopt-A-Text system by August 17th (and reserve materials by August 24th), so this session is intended to help instructors make appropriate requests for course materials. A demonstration of Adopt-A-Text will be given, along with a brief overview of other Library support services for teaching.
Wednesday, August 12, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Cassandra Horii, CTLO Director, Mike Vicic, Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, Katie Bouman, Assistant Professor in CMS, Mike Mello, Teaching Professor in Mechanical and Civil Engineering, and Jim Barry, Faculty in Fine Arts, for this discussion of various different approaches to designing remote labs and experiential courses or course components. Panelists will share their insights, successes, and lessons learned from the spring and participants will have a chance to discuss and ask questions about their ideas for the fall.
Monday, August 17, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Jenn Weaver, CTLO Associate Director for University Teaching, and Hanna Song, Senior Director of the CCID, for a discussion of how inclusive teaching can be effectively implemented online. This session will give participants insights into the diverse contexts that students are now learning in and dispel assumptions that we make about our students' learning environments. We'll discuss evidence-based best practices for creating equitable remote classrooms, including the value of transparent communication and expectations, and how these can give all students an equal opportunity to be successful in your class.
Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Jenn Weaver (CTLO Associate Director for University Teaching), Justin S. Bois (Teaching Professor of Biology and Biological Engineering), Sarah E. Reisman (Professor of Chemistry; Investigator, Heritage Medical Research Institute and Executive Officer for Chemistry), Nicholas R. (Nick) Hutzler (Assistant Professor of Physics) and Arushi Gupta (Undergraduate in Mathematics, Academics and Research Committee (ARC) Chair) for this introduction to digital, collaborative whiteboard applications, ways to use them for teaching, and how to incorporate them into office hours, recitations, and student collaboration. The first half of this How To session will introduce whiteboard tools and methods. After this overview, facilitators will stay on Zoom so that participants can try digital whiteboards, ask questions, or demo other features.
Thursday, August 20, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Many instructors may be looking critically at course assignments and considering whether a new assignment may increase student learning or engagement in an online course. Join Susanne Hall, Director of the Hixon Writing Center and Teaching Professor of Writing, for an overview of ideas for incorporating writing assignments into STEM courses. Dr. Hall will outline and explain different types of STEM writing assignments with varied pedagogical goals, focusing on how writing assignments could be an asset to online teaching. She will also share best practices for assignment design, so that you can ensure students understand your expectations and goals for a writing assignment. Dr. Hall is also available for one-to-one consultation with instructors considering adding a writing assignment to a course.
Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 11:00 – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Leslie Maxfield, AMT Director, to learn what G-suite can do for your remote teaching. G-suite includes Google Drive, Google Hangouts Meet, and other tools, and offers a simple way to share materials with students, and is integrated into the Canvas Learning Management System. The first half of this How To session will introduce G-suite tools. After this overview, facilitators will stay on Zoom so that participants can try G-suite, ask questions, or demo other features.
Thursday, August 27, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Cassandra Horii, CTLO Director, and Bill Hall, Instructional Designer, for this introduction to Canvas and Gradescope tools for collecting, grading, and giving feedback on assignments and exams online. The first half of this How To session will introduce both tools, compare their features, and show how to get started. After this overview, facilitators will stay on Zoom so that participants can try discussion forums, ask questions, or demo other features.
Tuesday, September 1, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Cassandra Horii, CTLO Director, and Bill Hall, Instructional Designer, for a quick tour of getting started with Canvas. The first half of this "How To" session will give instructors an introduction to their course blueprint, main features of setting up the course structure, and how to explore additional choices and details. After this overview, facilitators will stay on Zoom so that participants can try out Canvas, ask questions, or demo other features.
Wednesday, September 2, 2020, 11:00 am - noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Cassandra Horii, CTLO Director, for this introduction to using Canvas and Piazza discussion forums for Q&A, asynchronous discussion, and other uses that help support remote learning. The first half of this How To session will introduce both types of discussion forums, compare their features, and show how to get started. After this overview, facilitators will stay on Zoom so that participants can try discussion forums, ask questions, or demo other features.
Thursday, September 3, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Leslie Maxfield, AMT Director for this overview of how to use Zoom effectively for live, synchronous class sessions. The first half of this "How To" session will introduce key steps in setting up Zoom meetings, sharing them with students via Canvas, managing views and features, and recording sessions. After this overview, facilitators will stay on Zoom so that participants can try out the tools, ask questions, or demo other features.
Thursday, September 10, 2020, 11:00 am – noon PDT
Video | Slides
Join Caltech Faculty members Paul Asimow, Eleanor and John R. McMillan Professor of Geology and Geochemistry, Catherine Jurca, Professor of English, and Antonio Rangel, Bing Professor of Neuroscience, Behavioral Biology, and Economics; Head Faculty in Residence, for a discussion about strategies for connecting and communicating effectively with students in remote and online courses. Panelists will share their experiences and ideas about how they have created authentic and meaningful connections, made their courses welcoming across a distance, and communicated clearly using digital methods. Cassandra Horii, Director of the CTLO, will facilitate the discussion.
Friday, September 18, 2020, 11:00 am - noon PDT
Video | Slides
This session will demonstrate to instructors how students can access requested reserve materials through Canvas. It will go over how to navigate to the course reserves section of a Canvas course, as well as how to access different types of reserve materials. A brief overview of other Library support services for teaching will also be presented.