Technical Skills for Teaching Online

Faculty members who wish to teach online should not only possess basic proficiency using computers, but should also be acquainted with and feel comfortable using more advanced programs and applications, such as audio, video or graphics tools. The following technical skills are examples of those that are needed to teach online and partially online courses. If you need help understanding how to apply these principles to your courses, please contact your CSM Instructional Designers/ Instructional Technologists, and/or Distance Education Coordinator.

Basic Computer Skills

  • Typing, editing, and keyboard shortcuts
  • Understanding of current and supported browsers for the LMS in use
  • Understanding of browser maintenance, including clearing the cache
  • Use WebSmart to send email to everyone enrolled in your course
  • Create & name files
  • Understand file formats (doc, .docx, rtf, text, JPEG, GIF, PDF, WAV, MPEG etc.)
  • Understand file storage
  • Organize and manage files in the LMS

 Learning Management System - Canvas

  • Upload content
  • Create, design, and edit course modules
  • Make content accessible
  • Use formatting techniques to create semantic structures (headers, bulleted/numbered lists, etc.)
  • Insert tables, graphs, and images with alt text
  • Caption videos
  • Check documents, presentations and other files for accessibility
  • Create announcements, and create/reply to discussion posts
  • Create assessments, surveys, and polls
  • Upload multimedia
  • Use LMS inbox to contact students
  • Understand & use other learning management system tools including Inbox, discussions, etc.
  • Use district supported web-conferencing applications for virtual office hours
  • Use rubrics and grading tools for individual feedback

Email

  • Send & receive email using your CSM email account
  • Attach documents & files to messages
  • Respond to student inquiries within 24-48 hours of receipt

Presentation Software (optional)

  • Create, edit & save presentations using slide templates
  • Add multimedia to presentation with alt-text for images
  • Record audio narration for presentations

 Lecture Capture

  • Record lectures and post captioned archives for student access
  • Create and upload captions
  • Audio recording
  • Use Panopto to record, edit, and caption videos
  • Use Zoom for effective classroom demonstrations and lectures.

Internet Research

  • Know how to do targeted searches
  • Understand how to use online databases
  • Be aware of CSM Library online resources
  • Be familiar with YouTube, podcasts, blogs, webinars & wikis

Adapted from the Pasadena City College Distance Education Handbook Links to an external site.