The following tips and advice from the Team of Experts Digital Teaching / Kompetenzteam Digitale Lehre are intended to help JGU lecturers with little experience in digital teaching methods plan a digital course.
In addition, this guide can be used as a checklist when designing a digital course.
- As soon as you know what you will be using to offer your courses onwards, inform the participants of your course of its new form and the relevant software platform.
- Of course you can use email to communicate if you know all of your participants’ email addresses. However, it is more convenient to use system messages via Jogustine or JGU Reader, which can be sent automatically to all of the students registered for your course.
- A large number of digital tools are available for digital courses. Please remember, however, that not only you but also the students must have suitable technical equipment in order to use them (at the very least, an internet-enabled device and a stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth).
- If you are already experienced with using digital tools that are not mentioned in the following tips and hints, you can, of course, continue to use them. Please keep in mind, though, students are likely to attend various digital classes taught by various teachers and will therefore certainly appreciate not having to use too many different tools. In every one-on-one discussion and in polls, having to use many different platforms is a main reason for student dissatisfaction with digital teaching offers.
- University teaching is naturally highly dependent on the respective subject-specific culture. Not all of our tips and hints will fit each of the many and varied courses at JGU. We therefore recommend that you also discuss ideas with your colleagues and look for solutions together. Initiatives for the subject-specific implementation of a digital semester already exist in various faculties, and we are trying to pool these efforts on our webpage.
In order to provide high-quality access as simply as possible under various conditions, the following suggestions should be implemented:
- Favor asynchronous types of communication, as synchronous types of transmission require more effort and are more likely to experience problems
- Text rather than audio, audio rather than video
- Collect channels of information and news on one platform, if possible
- Use recommended platforms in order to guarantee data security and allow quicker orientation for students
- Make your course offer accessible, so all of the students can make use of it.
The following list of learning scenarios is not exclusive and will be expanded as time goes on.
You can find some information and ideas on the topic of “Hybrid Teaching and Learning Options” here.
Panopto is a convenient program that can record your lecture as well as your PowerPoint presentation or a blackboard at the same time, and then make them available online. You can even use it on your private computer.
The University Data Center (ZDV) has sufficient server capacities to offer a large number of lecture recordings – however, your students will need a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth to download your videos. Also, a 90-minute recording is more difficult to follow than a live lecture. Therefore, providing shorter sequences and written supplements by email or via JGU Reader or Moodle instead might be a good alternative.
Teaching staff’s equipment: internet-enabled computer; a microphone; if necessary, a touch screen device for using a whiteboard feature; and a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants' equipment: internet-enabled computer or mobile device, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
As a rule, the same legal ramifications apply for online learning and teaching offers as they do for classroom teaching. Therefore, you are only allowed to use copyrighted materials to a limited degree and in order to convey information – for example, you are not permitted to use copyrighted pictures simply to illustrate something.
Other basic information on copyright in an e-learning environment has been compiled by the ZDV’s E-Learning Team.
In general, it’s a good idea to use works in the public domain whenever possible. Many educational institutions provide so-called Open Educational Resources (OER), which are free for use in various contexts according to Creative Commons licenses.
You can find a basic introduction to the topic (resource German only) as well as several material lists (resource German only) on the BMBF-sponsored OER info-portal.
You can also find information on working with electronic media on the University Library pages , which also has a list of freely accessible publisher’s offers on the internet .
With Panopto, not only can you record your presentation, but you can also simultaneously display your PowerPoint presentation in a second window.
Teaching staff’s equipment: internet-enabled computer; microphone; if necessary, a touch screen device for using a whiteboard feature; a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants' equipment: internet-enabled computer or mobile device, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
As of April 14, 2020, it is possible to record lectures in lecture halls N1 and N6 to a limited extent. You can find further information here: lara.uni-mainz.de.
If you are recording your lecture in your home office or office, a computer with a touch screen is helpful. You can use suitable software programs (e.g. OneNote, Microsoft Whiteboard) to write on the touch screen with a touch screen pen and record it at the same time.
Teaching staff’s equipment: internet-enabled computer; microphone; if necessary, a touch screen device for using a whiteboard feature; a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants' equipment: internet-enabled computer or mobile device, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Even if it is technically feasible, it is not advisable to hold a large lecture as a web conference via Skype for Business or MS Teams with all of the participants able to ask questions in real time. As an alternative, you can set up a discussion forum via JGU Reader or Moodle, in which students, after viewing the Panopto-recording of your lecture, can ask written questions. This way, all of the students in your course are able to ask you any questions and your answers – which can be given at any time – are visible for everyone. If you prefer real-time communication, Moodle allows you to invite all of the participants to a chat at a set time and answer participants' written questions immediately. In conjunction with a chat, you can use a so-called Audience Response System (ARS) in order to carry out quick and anonymous votes or surveys with a large number of participants.
Teaching staff’s equipment: internet-enabled computer and a stable internet connection
Participants' equipment: internet-enabled computer or mobile device and a stable internet connection
Implementing this form of university teaching in a digital format is a challenge. We advise against scheduling weekly 90-minute web conferences to take the place of previously scheduled times and dates. While technically feasible, web conferences via Skype for Business or MS Teams with more than 15 participants are challenging and can become confusing. Furthermore, while the necessary resources for the transmission are provided by JGU, they might not be sufficient, as students will need a stable internet connection and appropriate bandwidth and might need advanced technical equipment (microphone and loudspeaker/headset in addition to an internet-enabled device). If you have a small group and do not want to do completely without oral communication, you could invite the participants to a limited number of web conferences via Skype for Business or MS Teams, possibly moving them to off-peak times to avoid overloading the network.
Teaching staff’s equipment: internet-enabled computer, microphone and loudspeaker or headset, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants' equipment: internet-enabled computer or mobile device, microphone and loudspeaker or headset, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
You may also want to check whether it is possible to encourage your participants to study in a self-organized manner by providing them with materials or written assignments (via e-mail, JGU Reader or Moodle) and then setting up a discussion forum for the exchange, in which your students and you yourself can post written questions, answers, and comments for everyone to see (JGU Reader or Moodle). If you prefer real-time communication, you can invite all of the participants to a chat at a set time in Moodle, where everyone can participate via short written messages. Students can submit completed assignments by email or upload them for your viewing only in JGU Reader or Moodle.
Teaching staff’s equipment: Internet-enabled computer, a stable Internet connection with sufficient bandwidth
Participants' equipment: Internet-enabled end device, a stable Internet connection with sufficient bandwidth
Aside from a web conference with Skype for Business or MS Teams, which is only recommended for small learning groups (max. 15 participants), you can provide general instructions for the participants in writing (via email, as an uploaded document in JGU Reader or Moodle) or you can record a short presentation with Panopto and make it available to your participants (send a link to the course in Panopto or integrate it in Moodle). Set up a discussion forum in which you and the students can post written questions, answers and comments for everyone to see (JGU Reader or Moodle). If you prefer real-time communication, you can invite all of the participants to a chat at a set time in Moodle, where you can answer written questions in a way that is visible for everyone.
Teacher’s equipment: Internet-enabled computer; if necessary, microphone and speakers or headset for recordings with Panopto; a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants’ equipment: Internet-enabled end device, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
In principle, it is possible to have students give presentations on a web conference in Skype for Business or MS Teams and to hold a subsequent discussion round with all of the participants. Skype for Business offers the option of sharing your own screen, and thus a PowerPoint presentation, with all of the participants. However, a web conference with more than 15 participants is challenging and can become confusing. Furthermore, the necessary resources for the transmission are provided by JGU, but they might not be sufficient, as students will need a stable internet connection and appropriate bandwidth and might also require advanced technical equipment (microphone and loudspeaker/headset in addition to an internet-enabled device).
Teaching staff’s equipment: Internet-enabled computer, microphone and speakers or headset for recordings with Panopto, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants’ equipment: Internet-enabled end device, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
A possible solution is to set written assignments (check whether your examination regulations allow this; students can then upload their texts on JGU-Reader or Moodle), or to postpone giving presentations until attendance in person is possible again. In addition to providing written assignments, the Moodle learning platform offers a wide range of options for guided, self-organized study, e.g. you can create a quiz to help your students check their learning progress.
Teacher’s equipment: Internet-enabled computer, a stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth
Participants’ equipment: Internet-enabled device, a stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth
Step by step, the branches of the University Library Mainz will be opened again for lending and returning media, beginning on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. Under the given circumstances, the university library puts a lot of effort into expanding the range of e-publications. You can find information about this continuously on their webpage. It is still possible to provide students with digitized versions of copyrighted texts, pictures etc. via our online platforms (JGU Reader, Moodle). They will be accessible only to participants of your course. Please note the following legal conditions for digitizing copyrighted material:
• Excerpts from copyrighted works may be digitized and made available to students, but excerpts may not exceed 15% of the copyrighted work. This also applies to film works and to textbooks if they are provided for the sole purpose of teacher training (but not in school lessons themselves),
• Works of limited size may be used completely,including:
o Printed works with a maximum of 25 pages
o Sheet music with a maximum of 6 pages
o Films with a maximum of 5 minutes
o Music with a maximum of 5 minutes
o Complete illustrations or individual articles from professional or scientific journals
o Complete works out of print in bookshops
o Complete works for which the copyright has already expired (e.g. digital copies of historical sources)
• Works under free licenses (e.g. Creative Commons) may be made available as permitted by the respective license (usually provision on learning platforms is permitted).
Of course, you may also make materials available by e-mail under the same conditions.
Teaching staff’s equipment: Internet-enabled computer, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants’ equipment: Internet-enabled device, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
If necessary, you can record short input phases with Panopto and make them available to your participants (you can send a link to the event in Panopto or integrate it into Moodle). You can send exercises by e-mail or upload them into JGU Reader or Moodle for your participants. Finished exercises can be submitted by participants via the above-mentioned channels as well. Set up a discussion forum for the participants' questions, in which students can post written questions for all to view (JGU Reader or Moodle) and which you can answer at any time - also for all to see. If you prefer real-time communication, you can invite all participants to a chat in Moodle at a set time, where you can answer written questions in a way that is accessible to all.
Teaching staff’s equipment: Internet-enabled compute; if necessary, microphone and speakers or headset for recordings using Panopto; a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants' equipment: Internet-enabled device, microphone and loudspeaker or headset, a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Transferring a language course, which usually takes place as a face-to-face course, into a digital format is a major challenge. Unfortunately, only general recommendations can be given at this point:
• Short input phases can be recorded with Panopto and made available to the participants (send a link to the course in Panopto or integrate it into Moodle).
• If you have a small learning group and do not want to do without real-time oral communication completely, you could invite participants to a limited number of web conferences via Skype-for-Business and possibly move them to off-peak times to avoid overloading the network.
• You can send exercises by e-mail or via JGU Reader or Moodle to your participants.
• Set up a discussion forum for the participants' questions in which students can post written questions (in JGU Reader or Moodle) which are accessible to all participants and which you can answer at any time - also accessible to all. If you prefer real-time communication, you can invite all participants to a chat in Moodle at a set time, where you answer written questions accessible to all participants.
• In addition to providing written exercises, the Moodle learning platform offers a wide range of options for guided self-organised study, e.g. you can create a quiz to help your students check their learning progress.
Teacher’s equipment: Internet-enabled computer; if necessary, microphone and loudspeaker or headset for recordings with Panopto and web conferences with Skype for Business; a stable internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Participants' equipment: Internet-enabled terminal, if necessary, microphone and loudspeaker or headset for web conferences with Skype for Business, a stable Internet connection and sufficient bandwidth
Case example: You can find an interview with Marion Grein here (in German) (head of the DaF/DaZ MA) on the digital implementation of a language course. (The interview was held by Nina Oehler for the Digital Teaching team.)
All of the oral and written examinations were cancelled starting on Monday, March 16, 2020. Exceptions are examination and coursework which do not require attendance at JGU in person. Please check the websites of the Office for Learning and Teaching for information on if and how examinations can take place after the lecture period has begun on April 20, 2020.
You can find current information on the new examination format of take-home exams, which has been made possible through the so-called Corona Statutes, here.
You can find information on the implementation of multiple-choice examinations with EvaExam here (in German).
The Office of Accessibility supports students with handicaps or chronic illnesses in their studies.
In order to allow every student access to information and teaching content, the choice of material and the course setting are very important.
The responsible office at the University of Kassel has created a comprehensive guide on this topic .
You can find the most important tips for accessible video production here
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In courses taking place purely online, social interaction can be easy for some participants and difficult for others. “Icebreaker” activities can be helpful here. A small collection of such activities, developed especially for online events, are the Trust and Take-A-Break cards. They can serve as inspiration and support for making it easier to start into digital events
[/jgu_content_layout_item]Please find information and tutorials about Panopto, Skype-for-Business, Moodle and Seafile on our webpage https://www.blogs.uni-mainz.de/teaching/.
We selected these for two reasons:
- Data processing for all of the applications mentioned above is handled on JGU's Center for Data Processing servers to guarantee data security and sufficient computing capacity.
- Limiting the selection of applications allows students – who usually attend several courses with different teachers, possibly even in two or more subjects – not to have to use too many different software products in order to participate in their digital courses.
If you have already had good experiences with other software applications in your teaching, you are of course free to use these, too. We will also be happy to answer your questions regarding OpenOlat, Ilias, Microsoft Teams or Adobe Connect via DFN.
If you also want to use other software products to communicate with the participants of your courses, we ask you to make sure they are not only user-friendly and intuitive, but also in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If you need help deciding on products, please contact digitale-Lehre@uni-mainz.de.
Support for students can be found in our course on How to study online in JGU-LMS. The course is available to all JGU students and staff via self-enrolement option.
In this course, students will find information on how to use the JGU's platforms for learning and communication, tipps and tricks for self-organization and stress management, as well as other support offers.
Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. We are aware that it is a great challenge for many of you to plan your courses in such a way that they can be offered digitally. We appreciate your commitment and will support you as much as we can (digitale-lehre@uni-mainz.de).
Perhaps some of you will also come to value the usefulness of digital tools and would like to use them after the summer semester 2020. Of course, there is no reason to prevent this. However, in the self-reflection report, which was part of the peer-to-peer consultation by the German Forum for Higher Education in the Digital Age (HFD) (postponed to summer 2020 due to the current situation), JGU committed itself to being a university of attendance. Virtual teaching formats should be used when they offer an opportunity to improve the quality of classroom teaching. That way, pure knowledge transfer can be outsourced, leaving more time for exchange and discussion during the classroom phases. In addition, digital teaching formats can promote integration and location-independent collaboration, as well as the removal of barriers.
Therefore, it is certainly not planned to convert the JGU to digital teaching permanently and completely. On the contrary, we are all looking forward to seeing our students face-to-face in different teaching and learning contexts as soon as possible!