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Frequently Asked Questions for Educators

This page includes FAQs for UC San Diego educators. We will be updating this page often to keep information as current as possible given the rapidly changing news.

Is there a quick guide for how to prepare for remote instruction?

Yes. The Teaching + Learning Commons has a brief but detailed guide for instructors preparing for remote instruction.

How do I make my online content accessible?

You can utilize Kaltura’s automated captioning feature, or type up a transcript and attach it next to the embedded media.

Any documents posted online should follow electronic accessibility guidelines including screen reader compatibility and rules for color contrast. See Digital Accessibility for basic guidelines.

Where do I send students for academic support?

The Teaching + Learning Commons will provide academic support services through remote delivery options in spring quarter.

For Writing Tutoring, the Writing Hub will provide one-on-one writing consultations for undergraduate and graduate students online. In Spring, students can visit WritingHub.ucsd.edu to schedule an online writing consultation.

For Content Tutoring, the Academic Achievement Hub will provide drop-in tutoring remotely through video communication. Refer to AAH.ucsd.edu for more information.

For Supplemental Instruction (SI) and Study Groups, the Academic Achievement Hub will host SI and student group sessions remotely through video conference technology. Refer to AAH.ucsd.edu for more information.

For Learning Strategist (LS), the Academic Achievement Hub will provide workshops and one-on-one appointments. Refer to AAH.ucsd.edu for the latest schedule and to access links for workshops. Your learning strategist will send you a separate link when you submit a request for an appointment.

Is there support for TAs/IAs?

The Engaged Teaching Hub will offer online consultations, webinars, and remote workshops to support Instructional Assistants (including teaching assistants, instructional apprentices, tutors, readers) and Associate-Ins with remote instruction.

Exam Questions

How do I give a remote exam?

Remote exams can be administered in various formats:

- Take-Home Exam or Assignment: A take-home exam or assignment can be completed outside of the classroom at the student’s pace, then submitted online via Canvas or other integrated tool such as Gradescope.
  - Create an Assignment in Canvas. If students need to download the written exam, be sure to include the document as an attachment. Include clear instructions, prompts, and due dates ahead of time.
- Online Exam: an online exam is a set of questions in a quiz format delivered through Canvas. The question type for online exams range from multiple choice to short answer. Online exams are typically timed and recommended for proctoring.
  - Create the Quiz, Questions, and Banks, as well as set the parameters ahead of time. Set up proctoring services and have students register for proctoring.
- Project-based assignments: Projects can range from group work, portfolios, presentations, reports, creative work, that are completed outside of class and can be submitted in a file format via Canvas.
- For more detailed information, see Options for Final Assignments.

How do I ensure academic integrity in a remote exam?

- Communicate expectations. A simple reminder to maintain integrity and produce authentic work goes a long way in setting the tone. Be clear about what is and isn’t appropriate when it comes to taking a remote exam or completing a remote assignment.
- Offer choice. Provide multiple questions or options and allow students to choose which option to respond to.
- Randomize questions and create question banks: Utilize the randomization settings and create question banks so that students don’t receive the same questions.
- Require authentic work. Ask students to build on their existing work in the course. This will allow you to evaluate improvements and gauge how students have received feedback on past assignments. You can also include a reflective component in the assignment, giving students an opportunity to examine their own work, reflect on their learning, or evaluate their own process.
- Use Turnitin. Turn on the setting for running a Turnitin report.
- Set up Proctoring services. If you are utilizing an online exam, you can set up proctoring services (subject to availability) ahead of time, and inform your students of the requirements for proctoring.

Additional Resources:

Are instructors required to follow final exam times set by UC San Diego?

When enrolling in their spring courses, students took into account the dates/times of course meetings and of any exams outside of class hours. Therefore, synchronous lectures or assessments should be offered during those pre-scheduled and pre-announced time slots to the maximum extent feasible. Lecture material should also be made available asynchronously on Canvas (e.g. recorded video lectures) so that students who are ill or in another time zone will not be disadvantaged. For any synchronous assessment, please plan in advance to have an alternative time to handle the needs of students who are ill or in another time zone.

Is it acceptable to administer synchronous exams? What about for students who may be in different time zones?

It is still acceptable to administer synchronous exams, provided that you advertise that in the syllabus and remind students. However, please plan in advance to have an alternative exam time to handle the needs of students who are ill or in a different time zone.

How to I arrange for proctors for my online exam?

The campus has contracts with ProctorU and Examity. Please refer faculty to https://digitallearning.ucsd.edu/instructors/resources/proctoring/index.html or email online@ucsd.edu for information about these proctoring services. The campus will cover student proctoring fees for online exams.

Technology-Related Questions

Are instructors responsible for making recorded lectures available to students beyond 30 days?

No. It is true that Zoom recordings of lecture material are removed from the Zoom cloud after 30 days. ETS has integrated Zoom with Kaltura (UCSD’s enterprise video system with unlimited storage), so all your Zoom recordings are automatically saved to the My Media section of Kaltura to share with your courses via Canvas, or for your own use.

A guide is available at: https://edtech.ucsd.edu/education-continuity-tools-and-resources/kaltura-guides.html

How do safeguard my class from Zoom-bombing?

The UC San Diego ITS team provides security recommendations and Zoom how-tos at https://blink.ucsd.edu/technology/file-sharing/zoom/safeguards.html

I found a free software tool I want to use in my course. How do I add it to Canvas?

Please contact canvas@ucsd.edu or servicedesk@ucsd.edu before using any tools that have not been vetted by UC San Diego.

Many faculty and staff have been contacted by scam companies offering free instructional support tools to assist faculty with remote courses. They do this to access to student data and/or get access to the UCSD network.

What do I do about students who say they do not have access to a reliable electronic device?

Undergraduate students: Inform your students to email VCSA@ucsd.edu to request devices needed to access remote instruction.

Graduate students: Contact your department chair to request devices needed to access remote instruction.

Disclaimer:

These FAQs will be updated in response to the evolving situation on campus, following the protocols and guidelines established by UC San Diego’s campus administration, as well as any issued by the University of California Office of the President.