NAU-supported faculty tools

Learning management system

Canvas: Northern Arizona University’s learning management system. The university provides a Canvas course shell for every course taught, including in-person, hybrid, and online courses. Instructors are not required to use the shells for in-person courses, but many instructors find the shells a useful way to distribute course materials even for face-to-face teaching.

LOUIE: the Lumberjack Online University Information Environment, LOUIE is the PeopleSoft student information system, where official grades, course rosters, and more are stored and maintained.

Pearson MyLabsPlus: A learning management system used for MAT-108, and MAT-125; Math Placement testing and the Math Peak Performance program also uses MyTest.

Communication and web conferencing tools

Classlist mailing list: This is provided to all instructors as a way to email all students enrolled in your course. You might use this tool to contact students before a class begins to inform them of textbook requirements, email/attach the course syllabus, or inform them of late-breaking schedule changes, etc. If you create a welcome message and select “save and send,” the welcome message will be sent to all current students as well as any who subsequently add the class at a later date.

Class roster request form: This allows an instructor to enter term and class number and retrieve class roster, including students’ email addresses, major, and academic level. The roster can be retrieved on a web page, via email, or as an RTF file.

NAU email (faculty and staff): web access to NAU’s faculty and staff email service.

NAU G-Suite (Gmail and Google apps): This includes NAU Gmail (student email) and other Google apps including Drive, Docs, Sites, and Groups. Faculty and staff may request a Google apps account here.

Zoom video conferencing: Zoom is a web conferencing tool that provides screen sharing, video conferencing, and related online conferencing functionality. This tool is fully functional on all platforms and available to all members of the NAU community free of charge. Large enrollment Zoom Rooms can be requested at additional cost from the Solution Center.

Grade and early warning tools

Faculty2Student (F2S) outreach tool: This provides a method for communicating with students. The positive, or concerning feedback, you provide to the student will help them understand where they stand and what actions they should take.

Grade upload to LOUIE: this walkthrough guides instructors through uploading final letter grades from Canvas to LOUIE.

NAU iClicker attendance manager: Helps instructors track attendance in face-to-face courses. iClicker Cloud runs on smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Testing and academic integrity

Academic Integrity @ NAU online course: In this self-paced tutorial, students will check their understanding of what it means to plagiarize or cheat, often discovering they knew less about this subject than they thought. All students are auto-enrolled in the student-facing shell on an ongoing basis.

Honorlock: An online AI-enabled proctoring service that prompts an observer to drop in upon questionable activities by the student. This service requires students to use Chrome and have Honorlock’s extension already downloaded.

Turnitin: NAU has licensed Turnitin Originality to check student submissions for originality and plagiarism.

Tutoring and learning resources for students

Tutoring: A variety of tutoring services are available to students, all free of charge. Services include one-on-one tutoring, online tutoring, the University Writing Commons, and English language support.

University Writing Commons: The University Writing Commons works with students at any stage of the writing process. They are located in three different sites for easy access to writing support, the Health and Learning Center, Inclusion and Multicultural Services, and the Cline Library.

Accessibility

Alternative testing: Disability Resources administers academic tests, quizzes, and exams that require the accommodation of extended time, a distraction-reduced environment, adaptive equipment, readers, scribes and/or an alternative test format, and other assistance.

Assistive technology: Available from Cline Library, this technology gives blind or visually impaired students better access to library materials. The new technology includes Top-Braille, SmartView Versa+, and Tiger Embosser.

Usable Materials Center: The Center assists in making print material and video content accessible for all users. Some examples of this include making sure a PDF document is properly tagged and formatted so that it is readable by an individual who is blind or visually impaired and using a screen reader, and adding closed captions to video content to make it accessible for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Media and interactive learning tools

iClickers: Also known as “audience response systems,” clickers can be used to gather attendance and do live polling of students. Designed for large face-to-face classes, they help instructors gather feedback and keep students engaged. In clicker courses, students no longer use hardware clickers, but rather use their smartphone, tablet or computer to use the iClicker Cloud Application.

Top Hat: This is a cloud-based platform alternative to hardware clicker solutions. Instructors can use various question types to engage their classroom, create assignments on the fly, and securely administer quizzes and tests. Instructors can also adopt and author next-generation interactive textbooks. To get started, please contact NAU’s Account Executive, Jake Green.

Kaltura: Instructors can record narrated slideshows, screencast presentations, mini-lectures, and brief video announcements to include in Canvas. Such media establishes an interpersonal connection, particularly in online classes, and reduces static text-heavy content, replacing it with dynamic media content.

Policies, academic calendars, etc.

Faculty handbook: The Office of the Provost is responsible for the faculty handbook.

Student handbook: the NAU student handbook includes policies and guidelines for student conduct.

Syllabus requirements: this includes Safe Environment, Students with Disabilities, Academic Contact, Academic Integrity, Research Integrity, Sensitive Course Materials, and Classroom Disruption Policies.

Term dates, deadlines, and grading schedules

Faculty services

Cline Library: research help, special collections, document delivery services, loan services (including laptops and equipment), course reserves, and more.

CoursEvals evaluation tool: Online course evaluations for most courses.

Faculty Activity and Achievement Reporting (FAAR): facilitates the evaluation process and allows faculty to report accomplishments for departments, colleges, and the university.

Guide to Student Services: is your reference point for academic support, involvement opportunities, health and wellness, and financial assistance. Whether you attend classes online, on the Flagstaff campus, or on one of NAU’s statewide campuses, we encourage you to explore the opportunities available to make the most of your college experience.

Office of Curriculum and Assessment: This office collaborates with faculty to advance intentional curriculum, strategic learning design, and meaningful assessment. The office provides tailored consultations, assistance, and support for the enrichment of student learning and academic excellence at Northern Arizona University.

Quality Matters: QM promotes a continuous improvement model supported by a database of professionally trained, community-based QM peer reviewers eligible for assignment to peer review teams. Courses that successfully meet the QM rubric standards in an official course review are eligible to carry the QM certification mark.

The Teaching and Learning Center: organizes and conducts offerings aimed at engaging faculty in focused conversations about designing teaching and learning experiences to contribute to a “teaching commons” at Northern Arizona University.

Technology help

Classroom support: ITS classroom support assists faculty with in-classroom technologies, including projectors and classroom computers.

Faculty help desk: dedicated faculty support for Canvas, Kaltura, Collaborate, and other learning tools.

ITS Solution Center (faculty and staff support): the central point of contact for NAU faculty, staff, and affiliates requiring technical assistance and support with NAU software, hardware, networking, and telephones.

ITS Student Technology Center (student support): technical help for students for passwords, Canvas, Gmail accounts, and more.

ServiceNow incident management system: request services, report problems, and track your own service incidents with ITS, Telecomm, and Instructional Design & Support.

ServiceNow Knowledge Base: articles, FAQs, and walkthroughs on a variety of NAU technologies, from Canvas to Zoom.

Tutorials (Udemy): technology tutorials on a wide range of topics, from programming to photography.