Best Practices for Using UB Learns

• Use clear and concise language to reduce confusion and articulate information.
  
• Use the Announcements tool
  
• Add Start, Due,and End dates for assessments and activities as they will connect to the calendar.
  
• Use the Email tool in UB Learns to send messages to the students as it will keep a copy in the system.
  
• Setup your notifications and have students set their notifications to include announcements.
  
• If Zoom will be used for the course, use the Zoom (Instructor) tool as this is an integration that will automatically add to the course calendar tool.
  

• Create assessments in the Assessments tool first (assignments, discussions, quizzes, self-assessments and surveys are found on the Assessments link for the default navbar. If you changed the navbar, you may need to find the assessments by accessing the Course Admin link).
• Be sure to provide instructions with each assessment so students are aware of what they need to do rather than referring them to the syllabus.
•  In each module, provide guidance for what students are expected to do, including how the activities align to their learning outcomes. Use the “Create a File” option and select a Document Template and use the Module Intro page as it is designed with accessibility in mind.
• Link to assessments in a module that have already been created in the assessments tools by selecting Existing Activities.

• Consider using the new feature of automatic zeros for work not submitted by a due date (this requires using the due date for assessments).
• To see what students can see, select the option to preview a student’s grades from the gradebook (from the Enter Grades page, scroll to a student, select the chevron icon to the right of the student’s name and select Preview).
• Use the Manage Grades option in the Grades tool to create, organize, sort, and delete categories and items in the gradebook.
• To delete an item, select Manage Grades then scroll to the item. If it is associated with a tool as indicated in the Associated column, you will first need to disconnect it by returning to the assessment itself and setting it to Not in Gradebook or Ungraded. Then return to Manage Grades, select the item to delete by checking the box to the left of the item. Select More Options, then delete. Then select the item to remove, select delete and confirm the option.

• Consider using rubrics for assignments to standardize grading and provide consistency in evaluation.
• Allow students to view their results for quizzes and tests by reviewing the options found in the Quiz setup under the Evaluation & Feedback setting.
• Provide timely feedback for students, updating gradebook and publishing the grades regularly.

• Discussions – encourage students to engage with each other by providing meaningful questions or prompts that require a reflective response rather than a simple yes or no answer. Provide guidelines for expectations.
• Groups – provide opportunities for students to work together. Give guidelines and expectations for working in groups, including defining the roles of each member.
  • The Groups tool in UB Learns has a lot of functionality and can also be used to create a 1:1 space between the instructor and student.
• Announcements – provide weekly announcements to let students know what is coming up, where to find information, and recap the previous week.
• Create videos using Panopto, Video Note. These can be added anywhere the content editor is found including announcements, assignments, feedback for assignments, and more.
• Leave the Classlist on the navbar. Aside from allowing students to easily connect with their peers, the Classlist provides quick access to data associated with the course.

Have a question regarding UB Learns? Whether you need assistance creating a quiz, or a tool isn't functioning as expected, use the button below to get in touch with campus experts from the Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation.