Preparing to Teach Your Course
We know it takes a ton of preparation is needed to get your course - and yourself - ready for the term. The CTLE has sourced some best practices from around the university. You can find them below, or the same information can be found in this Preterm Checklist.
Course Confirmation - Three Weeks Prior to Course Start
Confirm all information about your assignment is accurate
Use the NLU Course Schedule Search to confirm the time, location (Wheeling, Tampa, etc.), modality of course (Blended, Face-to-Face, Online).
Confirm access to D2L shell
Login to D2L and ensure all information (time/date) is accurate
Confirm relevant meeting invites
Confirm that you have received an SSC/Content meeting or Department meeting invite and let your supervisor know if you have not received one. Meeting invites will be sent to your NLU email address in the form of a calendar invite. They will include a link to the Zoom room location.
Order your instructor copy textbook
If you have a textbook(s) required for your course, register with VitalSource as an instructor, and request the book(s). If you do not receive confirmation or there is a delay in receiving the textbook(s), contact your Department Chair.
Acknowledge your contract
While you may not have it yet, be on the lookout for an email about your contract. You can also check banner to see if you have a contract waiting to be acknowledged. For more info, download our Acknowledging Your Contract video, or check out the Acknowledge Your Contract guide (PDF).
D2L Setup - Two Weeks Prior to Course Start
Prepare your syllabus and confirm that your course is “Active”. All courses must be active and syllabi published no later that two weeks prior to the start of the term.
Prepare your syllabus
Review the set-up guidelines for Simple Syllabus.
Update the “About your Facilitator” page on D2L
This is where your students their first introduction to you. And you know what they say about first impressions.
Set-up your gradebook in D2L
Check to make sure your D2L Gradebook Settings are accurate.
If you decide to use our plagiarism detection software, TurnItIn™, go to each assignment and turn it on. Quick Guide to Enable TurnItIn
Housekeeping Items
Review your content and click on URLs to ensure their currency (sometimes you may need to Google a course material and replace the link).
View the course as a student (refer to the Faculty Resources page for instructions should you need them).
Activate Your Course
Once D2L is ready, send a “Welcome Email” or “Welcome Announcement” to all students through D2L. Make sure to include:
1) A positive message (e.g. - you’re looking forward to seeing/meeting them, etc.)
2) Zoom link or Classroom number where the class will be held (depending on modality)
3) Class start time
4) What students will have to be able to do during class (login to Zoom, access their computer, etc.)
5) Consider linking the book on the 1st announcement
6) Your contact information for when they have questions/concerns about the class
7) Please see these instructions for posting news announcements.
For more information on how to communicate using announcements please see our page about
Confirm that your course is “Active”
1) Students can only see your D2L course if it's active. Please use this quick guide to ensure your course is active.
General Course Preparation - 1 Week Prior to Course Start
NEW FACULTY: Create your Zoom profile and ensure you can schedule meetings:
1) Login to nl.zoom.us using your NLU credentials (once you have them). Your username and password will be the same as your NLU email etc.
2) Click “Profile” on the left.
3) Click “Edit” next to “Personal Meeting ID" and type in your custom ID. Consider a phone number.
4) Once you have created your personal meeting room, your profile will have a direct zoom link to share with students. Post the link in your welcome announcement (and every week we’re online) so students can click on it to “enter” class.
Review all course material in D2L Shell
1) Getting started (with link to text)
2) All Modules: Project Engagement Sections, Lesson Plans
3) All assignments: Quizzes, Assignments, and Final Project
4) For insights or additional help with lesson planning, schedule a chat with the Learning Experience Design
Prepare all Materials Necessary for Week 1 Course Facilitation
1) Reflect on the content to be delivered via zoom (synchronously) and which content could be converted into a virtual environment for students to work on their own (asynchronously).
2) Use the Continue Teaching site to generate some ideas.
