This page provides Northeastern Illinois University faculty with tips, strategies and current initiatives in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to support quality online instruction.

D2L End User Support

Up at 3 a.m. working on your online course and having trouble setting up your grade book? You can reach out to Brightspace/Desire2Learn (D2L) through an online chat, phone call or email for assistance. The Chat feature or a phone call will receive a response within minutes where a real live D2L expert can walk you through the guidance you need. Emails take 24 hours. The D2L End User Support is located on our D2L Channel, but can also be accessed online.

Virtual Learning Technology Resources for Students

Students appreciate information on what technology supports are available to them when they begin their online course. To this end, the CTL offers this CTL Resource Hub that faculty may embed in their syllabi and include on their welcome/start here/unit 0 module of their online course.

Another way to support students is by orienting them to D2L. We have tutorials for students that are located on the top navigation bar of D2L. Additionally, if instructors want to add the tutorial to their course content, they can use one of the Start Here Modules.

What your students want to know

One way we can support our students is by letting them know up front what to expect and how to be successful in their courses. To this end, in your course syllabus and initial online course announcement and/or module, it is extremely helpful to provide guidance to your students about the following:

  • Office hours: When can students expect to meet with you online and how will this be accomplished (e.g., Google Meet)?
  • What should students do if they have a question about the course?
  • How can students contact you (email, phone number, etc.)?
  • When students reach out with an email or other method, when can they expect a reply? (e.g., “Please allow up to 24 hours for a response from me Monday-Saturday. However, I do not check my email on Sunday.”)
  • How long might students be expected to spend each week on your course activities? You may find this Guidance Document for Determining Instructional Time Equivalency helpful.

Faculty will also find additional assistance for what will be beneficial for students by referring to the CTL Resource Hub page, Guidance to Support Student Learning in the Virtual Environment and also Guidance for Virtual Learning page.

Your Syllabus

Here is some language for your syllabi and online modules to help you meet the needs of your students in the virtual learning environment:

Syllabus Statement for Recordings

Faculty have asked if the CTL might recommend a syllabus statement that addresses the use of recording during online instruction. We offer the following suggested language:

Video and audio recordings of class lectures and activities may be a part of the classroom activity. These recordings are used for educational use/purposes only and made available to all enrolled students via the University's approved learning management system (LMS). For purposes where the recordings will be used in future class sessions/lectures, any type of identifying information will be adequately removed. These recordings are the intellectual property of the faculty and they may not be shared or reproduced without the explicit, written consent of the faculty member. Students must get express permission from their instructor to record class sessions and these recordings may only be shared on a university-approved, password-protected site. Even when authorized by the instructor, recordings may only be used for the purpose of individual or group study with other students enrolled in the same course section during the same term. Further, students may not share these sessions with those not in the class, or upload them to any online environment other than a University owned, password-protected site.

SYLLABUS STATEMENT FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Submission of assignments using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) including ChatGPT and similar technologies are forms of academic dishonesty. To maintain a culture of academic integrity, students are to refrain from using AI tools in this course unless with the express permission of the instructor.  In those situations when the instructor has approved the use of AI, the following guidelines are in place:

  1. Provide transparency about the use of any AI tool by disclosing that this tool has been used to generate ideas or write portions of the assignment.
  2. Use such tools as a supplement to and not a replacement for one’s own work.
  3. Ensure appropriate citation of the AI source by including (a) the prompt or prompts provided to the tool, (b) the name of the tool (e.g., ChatGPT), (c) the date when the tool was used, and (d) the associated URL. (e.g., prompt: describe how vector marketing works. ChatGPT, 14, June. Version, OpenAI, chat.openai.com at https://chat.openai.com/share/901dbfa0-88b4-401e-bf6f-541acd6a1caf)
  4. Demonstrate awareness that these tools have limitations including biases and errors by double-checking and verifying the accuracy of any content generated by using this tool.
  5. Seek assistance from the course instructor when in doubt about how to use AI tools ethically.

COVID-19 Syllabus Statement

Coronavirus usually causes mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. However, some cases may be severe. Symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath. Safety is our priority. Therefore, face coverings are encouraged in all common areas and in all classrooms. Free masks are available at the Welcome Desks on the Main Campus, El Centro and the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies. Northeastern also highly recommends that all students, faculty and staff get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. If you feel sick, stay home. If you test positive for COVID-19, contact Student Health Services immediately. Students who miss class due to illness will be given opportunities to access course materials online. To learn more about the University’s COVID-19 practices, please visit neiu.edu/coronavirus.

Take care of your mental health

Student Counseling Services has provided some tips for helping individuals manage anxiety and worry they may be feeling, and listed some important resources.

Student Resources

Our Climate Study Working Group colleagues created this website page with helpful resources for students all in one place. Please include this link on your syllabus and in your online course. View Current Student Resources online.  Faculty can easily add a link to this page into their D2L course site.

Faculty Support Mentors

Do you want help from a colleague with experience offering quality online instruction or someone with whom you can brainstorm pedagogical solutions? Our Faculty Support Mentors are here to help. Emily Booms, Martyn de Bruyn, Dave Jordan, Cristine Haidau and Rose Sperrazza are willing to provide one-on-one or small group help beyond what our D2L Standard End User Support can offer. Faculty who would like this kind of support or other assistance with pedagogy or technology used for their classes should submit a request for support using this form.

Faculty Development News and Events

Want to stay current on CTL’s many professional development offerings? We send out a monthly CTL Update Letter with important events, initiatives, and timely  information. If you have missed any of our past issues, you can find these on the CTL Website on the tab entitled, CTL Update Letters.

If you have additional questions, please direct them to ctl@neiu.edu.

Updated: Fall 2023