• Direct instruction (synchronous interactive sessions);
• Interactive feedback regarding a student’s coursework (examples below);
• Responses to student questions about course content;
• Facilitated group discussions about course content or competencies;
• Other instructional techniques that provide similar engagement to an in-class setting.

• Hold online office hours during different and regularly scheduled time in which you have an open Zoom, Webex, etc. video conference tool that students can join. (Use the Virtual Student (Office) Hours guide)
• Activate ‘Canvas Chat’ for immediate feedback. Use it to provide quick, text-based consultations, as well as to post course-wide announcements, give feedback on cumulative test results, or explain confusing concepts students are struggling with.
• Ask students to comment on a subject-related video using the commenting feature in ‘Studio.’
• Use the PIAZZA app in Canvas to easily set up a Q&A format.
• Create peer-review assignments and monitor the quality of peer feedback.
• Use the ‘Message Students Who’ feature in Gradebook to give substantive feedback to groups of students who performed at different levels. Students included in the groups will not be able to tell who else is receiving the message.
• Create multiple practice quizzes, and example problem sets that students can complete in their own time, then spend part of your synchronous time demonstrating problems students had the most difficulties solving, as determined by the Canvas Quiz Statistics. (Use the Quizzes and Exams strategies guide).

• No. Posting a video of pre-recorded lectures or providing lecture materials online does not count as substantive interaction. To be considered as such, the instructor might:
• Require students to watch the lecture ahead of time and then participate in a live text or video chat.
• Include self-assessment questions for a set of pre-recorded lectures. Use these assessments to guide content covered in an office hour session based on students’ performances.
• Simply assigning a grade to an assignment does not constitute interactive feedback. The instructor should also do one or more of the following:
• Provide each student with comments unique to their submission and which refer back to the specific materials contributing to this concept;
• Utilize mastery paths in Canvas to help students explore additional materials related to the topic;
• Summarize common issues students are experiencing using a video, announcement, email, or discussion, and distribute to the whole class.

• In an online format, students lack the structure of “going to class.” You can help structure the student learning process by ensuring that your course learning objectives, content delivery, and assignments are aligned, and all assignment due dates are posted at the start of the semester.
• Ensure that your course layout contains clear and consistent navigation. (Use CELT's Online Course Essentials (ONCE) template page).
• Make sure that your course is accessible.
• Structure your course content in a Module Format and ensure that each module starts by introducing students to the module learning objectives and ends with an assessment to help students gauge their understanding of the concepts covered.
• Use a variety of methods to deliver course content, including mixing short discussions, collaboration exercises, video clips, and hands-on exercises with text or brief video lectures. To get started, use CELT’s Teaching with Technology page.
• Be mindful of the amount of work you assign to students. Sometimes, efforts to increase engagement inadvertently significantly add to students’ workload. (CELT suggests that one way to determine the workload is to use the Rice University Course Workload Estimator web tool.)
• CELT has detailed several online instructional strategies and engagement strategies to help you involve students in the learning process.
• Create a feeling of community through acknowledging student contributions, providing positive reinforcement, sharing personal experiences, helping students to share ideas with peers, and encourage networking. One way to foster community in Canvas is to post periodic Announcements that include a brief video in Studio to present new concepts, and engagement opportunities.

• Chat with Canvas Support use the live chat tool
• Ticket support. Open the ?Help menu in Canvas and click Report a Problem
• 24/7 phone support. Call 515-294-4000 (listen to prompts to connect to Canvas support).
• Find answers to common questions in the Canvas Instructor Guides.

• Email solution@iastate.edu
• Call 515-294-4000 and follow the prompts to receive support from Solution Center staff

• Call us through the CELT Response Team 515-294-5357 (Monday-Friday, 8-4 p.m.). We have staff across campus willing to assist. If needed, the campus partners will meet with you virtually using Webex.
• Additionally, you may wish to contact one of the support units directly. Please note which program, department, or college each unit serves and contact the unit for your area.