Faculty Online Teaching Manual

All faculty are expected to practice the values outlined in the UAB Strategic Plan opens a new website and ethically conduct teaching and research as described in the UAB Enterprise Code of Conduct opens a new website, the Policy Concerning the Responsible Conduct of Research and Other Scholarly Activities opens a new website, and the Title IX Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence Policy opens a new website. See below for required statements on Title IX for course syllabi.

In an effort to protect the privacy of UAB students, faculty are expected to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This is a federal law regarding the privacy and handling of students’ educational records, and it protects specific rights of students. Read more about FERPA, what information can and cannot be disclosed, sample scenarios, and other resources on the UAB FERPA webpage opens a new website.

To promote academic integrity among UAB students, the university requires all students to adhere to the Academic Integrity Code. This policy supports UAB’s academic mission and the expectation for UAB students to maintain and promote academic integrity in all academic work. This policy defines academic misconduct and outlines UAB’s process for addressing allegations of student academic misconduct.

To educate students on the code, the university requires all students to complete an online Academic Integrity Code course in Canvas. If a student does not fully complete the course and all assignments therein, a hold is placed on the student’s account, preventing them from being able to register for classes for the following semester.

If you suspect an instance of academic misconduct, please follow the procedures outlined in the Academic Integrity Code. To read the code and the answers to some common questions, visit the UAB Academic Integrity Code webpage for Faculty opens a new website .

An overview of copyright and fair use can be found on the UAB Office of Scholarly Communications opens a new website website. The information contained in the Best Practices for Online Course Design has no legal standing, however, it provides a guide for using copyright materials made by others in learning, teaching, and research. Please direct copyright related questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Associate Dean for Research and Instruction, UAB Libraries, (205) 934-6364.

Faculty teaching online courses retain the right and responsibility to revise course materials to reflect course assessment, changes in pedagogical philosophy, advances in the discipline, and other matters that warrant course revision.

Ownership and use of intellectual property created by UAB employees, including faculty (including Credentialed Course Instructors), are governed by the University's Patent Policy opens a new website and Copyright Policy opens a new website. In most cases, both UAB and an instructor who has designed materials for a course taught at UAB have the right to use the materials. In addition, use of intellectual property may raise issues under the UAB Enterprise Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment Policy opens a new website, which applies to all faculty and staff. A list of frequently asked questions has been designed to address some commonly occurring concerns of faculty members as well as other paid teaching instructors.

The course format letter attributes below are Banner Schedule Codes that describe the instruction type.

• A - Lecture
• B - Lab
• C - Lecture/Lab
• D - Independent Study
• E - Seminar
• F - Clinical
• G - Co-Op Work Program
• H - Intern/Practicum
• J - Studio Course
• K - Clinic – Optometry Only
• M - Medical School
• N - Blended – 50% out of Classroom
• P - Activity Performance
• QL - Quantitative Literacy
• S - Education Abroad
• SL - Service Learning
• UR - Undergraduate Research
• X - Cooperative Exchange
• Z – Conversion

UAB’s Digital Mass Communications and Content Policy opens a new website requires that course content be “administered through a local system of oversight.” At UAB, that system is the Canvas Learning Management System. No other electronic system is permitted for this purpose including without limitation social media such as Facebook.

Canvas courses must be published by the instructor prior to or on the date classes begin for students to access the course. See how to publish a course in Canvas.

By default, Teaching Assistants (TAs) have access to course grades. However, some schools/colleges may restrict access. Access to other parts of the course may differ depending on the permissions set by the school/college.

All TA requests are completed by the school/college Canvas Administrator. Note: Canvas Support cannot add individuals to courses. Requests for enrolling undergraduate students as TAs may require approval from a Department Chair or school/college Associate Dean.

The UAB Faculty Handbook and Policies opens a new website contains many of the policies applicable to faculty members at UAB, including the criteria for teaching effectiveness used in decisions in appointments, promotions, and grants of tenure. See section 2.10.

UAB is dedicated to the safety and well-being of students. The Red Folder is a resource for faculty and staff that provides information on how to promote student health and well-being, respond to students in crisis, and hold students accountable for behavior violations. It also provides resources that faculty and staff can share with students. View the Red Folder opens a new website .

In support of the Blazer Welcome initiative, we encourage faculty and staff to engage students in and out of the classroom. View and download the Student Engagement Guide for Faculty and Staff (pdf) opens a new website and browse the Faculty and Staff Toolkit website opens a new website for suggested ways to engage with students.

View the UAB Academic Calendar opens a new website to help plan course schedule and check academic holidays.

The Office of Learning Technologies (OLT) is dedicated to supporting schools/college and their departments and faculty. OLT provides support for using technology-based teaching and learning solutions in classroom, web-enhanced, and online academic and continuing education courses along with support for program development. Services include instructional design, quality assurance, technology solutions, training and support, program planning and management, state authorization, and more.

Instructional Design

The OLT Instructional Design team provides services to help faculty design quality face-to-face and online courses and programs. Whether developing a new course or program, transitioning courses to another format, improving an existing course, or meeting accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) standards, the instructional designers have the skills to help. See “Online Course Development” later in this manual for an example of an online course design process that Instructional Designers may use when working with faculty.

The Instructional Designers in OLT also provide training on many learning technologies such as Canvas, Zoom, and Kaltura. Training can be delivered one-on-one or for groups (program, department, school/college). To work with an instructional designer or request training, submit an Instructional Design Request.

Professional Development

The OLT offers workshops primarily focused on course design, Universal Design for Learning, and Teaching with Technology. Attendance at these workshops can earn you the Designing Your Course (DYC) Certificate or the Teaching with Technology (TT) Certificate. OLT also offers an asynchronous course in Canvas which can be completed to earn the DYC Certificate.

Canvas Requests

Instructors can submit requests for course copies, adding users, creation of sandbox courses, etc. on the Canvas Requests page.

State Authorization for Reciprocity with Other States in Distance Education

Alabama is a member of NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements), and UAB is an approved SARA institution. The term “state authorization” refers to the authorization that UAB must obtain from states other than its home state of Alabama to operate in those states, including through distance education. Generally speaking, every state has the right to regulate educational institutions operating the state.

For students, the SARA initiative seeks to provide greater access to academic programs, lead to better resolution of student complaints, increase the quality of distance education, and increase opportunities for student clinicals, practicums, and internships outside of Alabama. See the UAB State Authorization page for more information.

Also provided are Professional Licensure and Certification General Disclosures on whether an educational program would be sufficient to meet the educational licensure requirements in a particular state. See the Professional Licensure and Certification General Disclosures page for more information.

Canvas and Instructional Design support is also provided within specific schools/colleges. Contact information for schools/colleges that offer this support is available on the Canvas Sub-Account Admins page.

The purpose of the UAB Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is to provide UAB faculty with professional and teaching support programs and to encourage teaching effectiveness and innovation on campus, no matter what the teaching format may be. The CTL hosts several workshops and also partners with multiple units on campus to host additional workshops. Examples of workshops include Global Awareness, Teaching Effectiveness, and Teaching Foundations.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s mission is to enrich the academic experience for each student through education, research, and service. The University believes disability is an essential component of diversity on our campus and values the unique experiences of each student.

DSS provides an accessible university experience through collaboration with UAB partners. These partnerships create a campus where individuals with disabilities have equal access to programs, activities, and opportunities by identifying and removing barriers, providing individualized services, and facilitating accommodations.

DSS serves as the university-appointed office charged with providing institution-wide advisement, consultation, and training on disability-related topics which include legal and regulatory compliance, universal design, and disability scholarship.

See below for the required DSS Accessibility Statement required for all Canvas syllabi. Visit the DSS website opens a new website for more information.

Canvas courses automatically have a course navigation link called “UAB Libraries” that allow instructors and students to access UAB Library Guides within Canvas. The UAB Libraries provide access to an array of rich and diverse scholarly resources that inform intellectual, cultural, social, and economic transformation of its community. It also provides the essential expertise to support excellence in education, research, patient care, and community outreach that collectively advance the success and impact of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The UAB Libraries’ collections include over 1.4 million volumes and more than 40,000 journals and serials, in addition to extensive electronic resources, rare books, microforms, and audio-visual materials. The UAB Libraries host nearly 1 million patrons each year and support students and faculty in advancing their learning, research, and teaching. Visit the UAB Libraries website opens a new website.

Blazer Core Curriculum is UAB’s transformative new general education program, debuting in Fall of 2023. Drawing on a multi-year process of feedback and collaboration with faculty, students, administration, and community members, the new Blazer Core Curriculum has been designed to provide students with inspiring opportunities to understand and respond to the opportunities and challenges of today and the future. Visit the Blazer Core Curriculum website opens a new website.

IT support is provided through Central IT or within the school/college. The following is the contact information for IT support for schools/college.

• College of Arts and Sciences: CAS IT Helpdesk opens a new website
• Collat School of Business: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• School of Dentistry: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• School of Engineering: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• School of Medicine: DOM IT opens a new website
• School of Optometry: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• All other schools IT Support: UAB IT opens a new website
• All schools Lecture Capture Support: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The UAB Office of Service Learning and Undergraduate Research connects UAB students, faculty, and community nonprofit partners to enrich student academic learning, promote civic engagement, and strengthen and support our local and global communities.

Through promoting service learning and undergraduate research opportunities, the office is a bridge between the instructional and service missions of UAB, enabling students and faculty to apply classroom knowledge and research with community partners to address community issues. Visit the Service Learning and Undergraduate Research website opens a new website.

The Learning & Development team is dedicated to UAB’s mission and employee success through a mindset of “learning is not a once-and-done event,” but rather a journey. The goal is to provide fun, engaging learning options on your journey to success.

Examples of learning opportunities include leadership and management skills, communication, professional effectiveness, and collaboration. View L&D’s workshop offerings opens a new website.

Syllabus Options

Instructors are encouraged to use Simple Syllabus, a syllabus management tool in Canvas. Some units require use of Simple Syllabus. In Simple Syllabus, university and school/college-specific information is provided and updated by that unit. The instructor only updates the course-specific information.

Alternatively, instructors may create a dynamic syllabus in the native Canvas syllabus page. The term “dynamic” means that the syllabus is more than a static document and interacts with other features of the Canvas learning management system to easily communicate course requirements to students. A dynamic syllabus contains a text (HTML) syllabus, a hyperlink to a printable syllabus, and assignments with due dates. See detailed instructions on how to create a dynamic syllabus in Canvas.

Syllabus Templates

If using Simple Syllabus, the updated template is automatically included in the Simple Syllabus for each course in Canvas.

Each semester, an OLT syllabus Word document template is provided with suggested wording and formatting for course requirements and expectations. Download the UAB Syllabus Template (this will go to the Downloads folder on your computer).

Mandated Inclusion of Accessibility, Title IX, and AI Statements

The following DSS and Title IX statements were endorsed by the UAB Faculty Senate and are required to be included in all course syllabi. The course instructor is responsible for including these statements in their syllabi.

• DSS Accessibility Statement: Accessible Learning: UAB is committed to providing an accessible learning experience for all students. If you are a student with a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and you require accommodations, please contact Disability Support Services for information on accommodations, registration and procedures. Requests for reasonable accommodations involve an interactive process and consist of a collaborative effort among the student, DSS, faculty and staff. If you are registered with Disability Support Services, please contact me to discuss accommodations that may be necessary in this course. If you have a disability but have not contacted Disability Support Services, please call (205) 934-4205 or visit the DSS website opens a new website.
• Title IX Statement: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and its regulations, including in admission and employment. Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to UAB’s AVP & Sr. Title IX Coordinator, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both.
  
  UAB’s AVP & Sr. Title IX Coordinator is Dr. Andrea McDew, AB1030-0110, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294.
  
  For more information about Title IX please visit the UAB Title IX webpage opens a new website.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): All course syllabi should include a statement regarding if AI use is allowed and if there are specific parameters for usage. To learn about AI and syllabus statements regarding use of AI, see the UAB Task Force Report on AI (pdf) opens a new website for a starting point. Sample verbiage is provided in the Simple Syllabus template and OLT Syllabus Word document template. Additional resources regarding AI are provided on the CTL Resources page opens a new website.

Academic for-credit courses, except for those taught in the School of Medicine, have a Canvas course shell.

Teaching faculty are automatically assigned a “sandbox” in Canvas. A sandbox is a course shell that does not have students enrolled and is used to practice and test Canvas features. Additional sandboxes and resource courses may be requested.

Contact your Canvas administrator for more information.

The OLT instructional designers use templates as a base for courses in Canvas to promote consistency in content and navigation among courses. Some units have their own Canvas course templates. Instructors can request to have all or specific components of the OLT course template placed in their Canvas course or import a course template from Canvas Commons on their own. The course template is automatically applied in sandbox courses. A navigation template (shorter menu and the UAB Policies and Resources Module) is applied to academic courses. Follow instructions to import or request the Learning Technologies Canvas course template opens a new website.

The best practice is to chunk or break course content into small, logical segments to make it easier to process and remember. Neuroscience and educational research indicate that students need to acquire new content in small, logical pieces. When chunking content into modules, use a consistent format for each module and use consistent terminology throughout the course. Read the two articles below to learn how to chunk course and module content. For further assistance in organizing and formatting modules, see the Course Design Style Guide for Instructors.

Simplifying the course navigation menu can help streamline the Canvas course. Canvas includes a set of course navigation links that are shown by default on the left navigation menu. However, some links may point to areas that the instructor is not using in the course, which can be confusing for students.

It is recommended to keep only course navigation links that are relevant to the course and hide the ones that are not being used. Check the Canvas guide on how to customize the Canvas course navigation menu opens a new website.

A variety of solutions are available for recording videos for online courses. Please review the Video Solutions webpage to learn more.

Captions are essential for videos as they enhance accessibility and help reach a wider audience. They enable individuals with hearing impairments to access the content and assist viewers in better understanding the material, particularly in low-volume settings or noisy environments. Additionally, captions engage a broader range of viewers, including those who may not be fluent in the video's language.

We recommend storing your videos in Kaltura because it provides two captioning options: automatic and professional. Automatic is a machine-generated caption that becomes available just minutes after you upload a video. Every video uploaded to Kaltura automatically receives these machine-generated captions. In contrast, professional captions are created by human transcribers, ensuring higher accuracy and quality.

You can request professional captioning through your OLT Instructional designer or the DSS caption request form opens a new website.

UAB offers live proctoring and automated proctoring solutions to help increase academic integrity for online exams. Instructors are encouraged to review these proctoring options and select the solution that works best for their courses.

UAB is committed to promoting innovative teaching and student engagement while protecting student privacy and maintaining system security. A list of approved learning technologies is available on the CTL webpage. To request additional technologies, please review the process and submit a request opens a new website.

You can import each of these resources into your course from Canvas Commons.

• ProctorU Student Preparation – This module includes educational materials, a quiz on ProctorU, and a practice proctored test.
• Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor Student Preparation – This module includes educational materials, a quiz on Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor, and a practice proctored test.
• UAB Academic Integrity Code Module – This module includes the information from the Academic Integrity Code course that students are required to take when they enter the university.
• Time Management Activity – This interactive page allows students to see how much time they have available to devote to schoolwork and provides resources for improving their time management skills. This is a page that can be added to a module.
• Online-Learning Readiness Assessment – This interactive page allows students to assess their readiness for online courses and read tips on how to prepare for online learning. This is a page that can be added to a module.

Additionally, UAB provides a variety of other Student Academic and Support Services that you may share with your students opens a new website.

Engaging students in a course is crucial to their success. Frequent course check-ins help faculty build a presence and create a supportive environment for students. Faculty are encouraged to participate in the course daily. Participation may be achieved through monitoring and actively participating in the discussions, posting announcements, sending alerts and reminders, sending emails, etc. This provides an opportunity to guide learning, build relationships, identify areas of challenges, offer assistance, and address common issues/questions.

Note: Frequent logins do not require 24/7 availability. Expectations for availability and response time should be clearly stated in the communication section of your course syllabus.

Canvas provides several tools for communication which are presented below. Indicate in the syllabus/Canvas the best way for students to contact you. Follow all FERPA guidelines when using these communication tools.

Provide students with clear expectations regarding email response time. Faculty are encouraged to respond to student emails within 24 hours.

Example: Email will be answered within 24 hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays). Emails received between 5:00 p.m. on Friday and midnight Sunday will be answered on the following Monday.

Online student hours (virtual office hours) provide students with the flexibility to receive individual help and feedback on assignments virtually. Regular office hours may reduce the number of emails students send to the instructor. It is recommended that faculty hold a minimum of 6-hours of virtual office hours each week. The Zoom feature of Canvas can be used for virtual office hours.

To maximize the benefits of virtual office hours, instructors can employ several practices such as:

• Allow students to make appointments or alternate between morning and evening hours for set office hours.
• Post recorded office hour sessions for future viewing. Ensure that students are aware that the session is being recorded and obtain permission from the students to share. Ensure that recordings do not include sensitive/private information such as grades.

To ensure a safe online environment for students and instructors, students are expected to follow the guidelines listed below. Instructors are encouraged to model the way to communicate by following the same guidelines.

• Respect: Each student’s opinion is valued as an opinion. When responding to a person during the online discussions, be sure to state an opposing opinion in a diplomatic way. Do not insult the person or their idea. Do not use negative or inappropriate language.
• Confidentiality: When discussing topics, be sure to be discreet on how you discuss children, teachers, and colleagues. Do not use names of people or names of facilities.
• Format: When posting, use proper grammar, spelling, and complete sentences. Avoid using ALL CAPITALS. This signifies that you are yelling. Avoid using shortcuts/text abbreviations such as “cu l8r” for “See you later.”
• Relevance: Think before you type. Keep posts relevant to the discussion board topic.

Altering the course schedule due to severe weather or other emergencies depends on individual course constraints. Consider the following factors prior to making course schedule adjustments:

• The University is closed.
• A significant number of students are impacted by power outages or dangerous weather events.
• Disruption of the access of the Canvas Learning Management System. If Canvas is unavailable, communicate with your students via BlazerNET.

UAB Emergency Management opens a new website will be the official source of UAB information during any actual emergency or severe weather situation.

Faculty are encouraged to provide a meaningful assessment prior to the “Last Day to Withdraw” to allow students to make informed decisions. Provide students with clear expectations regarding when grades and feedback for assessments and activities will be available.

Example: Quiz grades will be available upon submission of the quiz. Correct answers will be available after the due date. Grades for written assessments will be available one week after the due date.

Grades can be exported directly into the Banner Student Information System (SIS) from the Canvas Gradebook. Grades can also be manually entered into the Banner SIS by the instructor.

The grading window opens one month prior to the grade submission deadline for each term. During that time, instructors will see a Canvas Sync icon on their faculty BlazerNET profile opens a new website beside each course (requires login). Clicking this icon will pull the grades from your Canvas Gradebook into Banner for that course, if the gradebook is formatted properly for this purpose opens a new website.

Instructors can then make any final adjustments, such as marking Incompletes or Pass/Fail, if necessary. This process can be done as many times as needed, until the grading window ends.

See detailed instructions on how to export and post grades from Canvas to Banner opens a new website.

If the grading window has closed and grades need to be entered or changed, the instructor will need to submit the Grade Changes request to the Registrar. The Grade Changes request is located in BlazerNET opens a new website.

Canvas Alerts can be used by faculty to send automated alerts based on parameters such as academic performance or attendance (logins to Canvas). It can also be used to automate announcements regarding upcoming due dates. Messages can be customized by faculty. Instructors, academic advisors, and administration can view Canvas Alert reports. Visit the Canvas Alerts page for more information.

The Provost’s Transformative Online Course Award (TOCA) recognizes online courses developed by UAB faculty members that exemplify best practices and innovation in online education. For more information and to apply, visit the TOCA Awards page.

UAB recognizes faculty for excellence in teaching, research, and service. See the Faculty Awards opens a new website webpage for more information about the various faculty awards.

The Online Course Showcase page highlights a few of UAB’s high-quality online courses. These courses employ many best practices for online course design and Universal Design for Learning principles. This provides current and potential students as well as faculty with an opportunity to see examples of well-designed online courses. Access to these courses is publicly available on the Online Course Showcase page.