Most Essential Teaching Resources

Course design and set-up

Look to the Events page for the regularly scheduled workshop, “Teaching at MSU 101,” or view the accompanying Google Slide to get the gist. The workshop covers: navigating MSU, COVID considerations, planning your course, and writing your syllabus and other essential course design elements.
Try a step-by-step guide to developing a clear and directive syllabus following the Montclair Syllabus Template. Also, here is a preview of OFA’s Montclair Syllabus.
Or, read through Course planning: course goals, learning objectives, and assessments. Related, Write your syllabus right: Clear and directive (worksheet).
Check out Providing free texts for students: The library will help you provide your textbook and other materials to students through electronic and/or print reserve.
Familiarize yourself with Montclair’s grading standards and default scale.
See also support offered by Information Technology for faculty learning to use Canvas:
- Self-paced faculty orientation to Canvas
- Consultation with an instructional technology specialist

Pre-semester surveys that provide students with essential course and modality information and allow instructors to learn about their students are available for downloading and modification on Canvas Commons (links require Canvas log-in). Surveys in text form and Google forms are also available in the MSU Faculty Resources folder.
To help explain the modalities to your students, try this brief “Know Your Modalities,” a student-created video explaining the different modalities and what is expected of students.
Canvas Page Add-Ins to Course.[Confused by Canvas Commons? See this short video].
- MSU Zoom Etiquette: Let’s raise the expectations together, across the University. Web page version.
- Listing of Quiet On-Campus Study Spaces for Students, to support students who need to find a place to study or attend an online class. Web page version.
- Nuts and Bolts of Research — Catherine Baird, Sprague Library. Through videos and slideshows, this module introduces students to the basics of finding library materials, searching, and reading citations
- How to Read Journal Articles/Scientific Papers — Catherine Baird, Sprague Library. A short module that includes a video, reading, and discussion.

The Public Faculty Resources Google folder: Recordings and resources from OFA workshops. *NOTE* you must be logged into your Montclair Google Account to access (montclair.edu email and NetId password).
Practical details for teaching at MSU.
IT’s Audio-Visual Services page presents information about classroom technology. To determine the technologies your classroom is equipped with, check classroom assignments on Nest. Next, go to 25 LIVE to see details about your classroom set-up and equipment.

Video Conferencing Guidelines
Student Communications ListServ (9.2.20) by subscribing to this listserv you will be copied on all communications sent to students. These cover: student deadlines, financial aid, policies, registration, support services, and academic advising notices.
For those teaching HawkSYNC, communicate your Zoom participation expectations to students, consider sharing these funny student-produced videos on how to properly (and more effectively) participate in class during synchronous Zoom sessions.

Last updated 1.12.22