Class Announcements are the first page students see when they enter a class. It is a one-way communication created by the instructor.

Announcements should:

• be at least weekly.
• have the latest announcement on top.

Announcements may include:

• general feedback for the past week.
• class activities; readings, assignments, projects, etc.
• the week's teaching objectives.

View Example of Class Announcements:

• SAMPLE 1
• SAMPLE 2
• SAMPLE 3
• SAMPLE 4
• SAMPLE 5

If UMUC-developed course modules exist for the course you are teaching, a modifiable syllabus will be pre-loaded into the course syllabus section of your WebTycho classroom.  Sections of the syllabus that will need to be modified to conform to Asian Division policies include:

• Course Introduction
• Course Materials
• Grading Information
• Project Descriptions
• Course Schedule
• Additional Information

Link to - Building the Syllabus.

If UMUC has not developed course modules for the course you are teaching, you will need to put lecture notes on the Course Content.

The course content area provides a non-interactive method to communicate information to students. It may be used for lectures, references, and other documents students will need for the class.

If course modules exist for the course you are teaching, the modules will be pre-loaded in the course content section. See Information on Using Course Modules.

Tip: The course content section is an appropriate place for UMUC's Online Guide to Writing and Research. Have the Guide open in a new window.

Faculty may post required course readings or reference readings through the Reserved Reading feature. To submit materials to be posted in your class, complete the e-reserve request form at https://nova.umuc.edu/library/resreq.html. Please note that because of processing time, faculty are encouraged to submit requests six to eight weeks before the beginning of the semester.

There is a maximum of 10 items or 100 pages per course/section per semester.
For further information see UMUC Library Services' Electronic Reserves on WebTycho.

Conference participation is mandatory. Conferences are the discussion center for the WebTycho classroom and an integral component of the DE classroom. Threaded communications allow class members to read and write messages in response to lecture material, discussion questions, and other students' postings.

UMUC places a high value on the quality of interaction in the online classroom. Faculty should actively facilitate conferences.

Tip: Organize conferences under a weekly conference title. SAMPLE 1  SAMPLE 2

The title should list the week number and/or the dates of the conference. You can add more than one topic under each conference by creating separate main topics: Example 1   Example 2

Tip: If not included as weekly conference topics, create separate conferences for students to ask questions and interact, i.e. a Q & A where students can ask questions and/or a cybercafe where students can socialize.

Tip: Put the latest conference on top by reordering Manage Conferences.

Tip: You may create conferences at any time without making them visible to students; hide some of those by marking 'link not visible' or put dates when you would like to be visible.

Tip: If attaching a document, use RTF or HTML files (when you save a document, click 'Save As' - look at the bottom, you will see 'Save As Type' - click the drop down menu next to it - select RTF (Rich Text Format) or Web Page (HTML) ). This will minimize the possibility of transmitting viruses and also prevent students' difficulties in accessing files produced with incompatible software.

The study groups area enables students to work in small groups in order to discuss course content or to work collaboratively on course assignments and projects.

Tips: Don't expect that students know how to collaborate. Allow time for group dynamics and be prepared to step in if conflicts arise. Appendix B of UMUC's Online Guide to Writing and Research is a good resource for group work.

Include guidelines for group work.

• Example 1

All UMUC Asia classes should have entries in Webliography. Every discipline has relevant websites. The webliography is an area to compile online resources which complement and expand upon traditional information sources. Multiple perspectives, authentic information (real-world problems and issues) and availability of both up-to-the-minute and archival resources are key features of Web resources. A disadvantage of this information source is that it is unregulated; the user must determine quality of information.

Faculty and students may add to the webliography throughout the course. Only faculty may delete entries from the webliography.

Tip: Model and encourage students to critically evaluate web resources. Here are some links to evaluation of web resources:

• Evaluating Website Content
  http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/webtruth/evaluate.htm
• Evaluating Internet Resources
  http://www.umuc.edu/library/guides/evaluate.html

All assignments should be submitted to the "Assignment Folder." The Gradebook should be used for all students' graded work. This stores all student work in one area so that if any proof for the grade is needed at a later time, it will serves as a list of students activities. The students are not able to see other students' assignments.

Try not to weight grade components toward the end of class.
• If using long term projects, or participation points consider periodic grades - so students know where they stand.
• Students are unable to see other students' grades or portfolios.
• The gradebook is automatically updated when assignments are graded.
• To be able to input grades manually, the assignment titles have to be created first. Afterward, the grades can be input manually by clicking the assignment tab and clicking 'Edit All Grades' on the bottom.

• SAMPLE 1
• SAMPLE 2
• SAMPLE 3

For more reference about the Gradebook, use WebTycho Help.

• Provides a complete listing of everyone registered for the class, including faculty members, teaching assistants, and visitors.
• Names are linked to each members' e-mail address.

The Faculty Center allows an instructor to manage and hide classroom menu items that will not be in use at any time during the course or will be used later in the term. A streamlined classroom menu helps orient students to your classroom and prevents students from checking links that contain no content. Please inform students when you alter the classroom menu.

One exception to the usability guidance is the chat room feature. Whether or not you plan to use the chat room, students may wish to use this feature to communicate with other students in 'realtime' discussions.