Instructional Guides & Resources - new | Learning & Technology | Digital Futures Institute (DFI)

Practical guides to support your teaching at Teachers College, from getting set up in Canvas to designing engaging activities to using AI thoughtfully in your courses. Browse the categories below to find what you need.

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How-To Guides and Resources

New to teaching at TC, or just need a refresher? Start here.

Canvas Quickstart Guide for Faculty — A streamlined 10-step process to set up your Canvas course.
Canvas Quickstart Guide for Students — Share this with your students to help them get oriented to Canvas.
TC Online Educator Resources — A comprehensive walkthrough for anyone leading an asynchronous or synchronous course.

AI Guides and Resources

Guidance and practical resources for using AI thoughtfully in your TC courses. Note: Gemini is TC's officially supported AI tool.

Google’s Gemini Available for TC Students: Access Gemini safely through TC to explore generative AI, evaluate its capabilities, and build critical AI skills.

Developing a Generative AI Policy for Your Course: Sample syllabus language and how to communicate your approach.
Redesigning Assignments for AI: Practical adjustments that hold up in an AI-present classroom.
Using AI in Your Course Prep: Practical & Responsible Strategies: Low-stakes ways to save time on rubrics, discussion questions, and more.
What to Do If You Suspect AI Misuse: A grounded, non-punitive first step.

View all AI in Education resources page

Engaging Students

Group Work Strategies: Approaches for active learning, community building, and shared decision-making.
Asynchronous Learning Activities : Ideas for courses that don't rely on weekly Zoom sessions.
Creating Activities that Engage Online Learners : Designing for connection without in-person cues.

Accessible & Inclusive Teaching

Designing courses that work for every learner from the start.
- Ally for Teachers College: Ally scans Canvas files for accessibility issues, guides instructors on quick fixes, and auto-generates alternative student formats.
- Creating Accessible Digital Documents: Proactive accessible design ensures your materials work for everyone. Use this guide to create accessible documents, presentations, and spreadsheets.
- Universal Design for Learning: The Basics : Core principles and how to apply them to your course.

Presentations & Media Tools

Tips for building and delivering course materials that hold students' attention.

7 Tips for Boosting Your Classroom Presentations: Get more out of your class time with PowerPoint or Google Slides.
3 Tips for Recording an Instructional Video in PowerPoint: Options for creating short videos to supplement your teaching.
Interactive Lesson Ideas using Padlet Use this online "bulletin board" tool for real-time collaboration, with text, images, video, and links.
TC Digital Media (YuJa) in Canvas. Faculty Instructional Guide: Sharing Videos: TC Digital Media, powered by YuJa, allows faculty to record, store, and share instructional videos directly within Canvas.

Submitting Videos in Canvas Using TC Digital Media (TCDM): Student Guide: TC Digital Media (TCDM), powered by YuJa, allows you to record, upload, and submit videos directly in Canvas for assignments or discussion posts. This guide explains how to create a video and submit it in your course.