What's included in Domain 2?

Domain 2 is all about the technologies that you use within your courses. This domain is focused on ensuring that, when new technologies are introduced to students, they are able to easily access those technologies and that proper support is provided to help them understand the ins and outs of utilizing the tools.

Essential Standards

  • Standard 2.1: Frequently used technology tools are easily accessed. Requisite skills for using technology tools (websites, software, and hardware) are clearly stated and supported with resources.
  • Standard 2.2: Technical skills required for participation in course learning activities are explained as they become relevant to the course. When new technologies are introduced, students are given opportunities to practice using the technologies before high-stakes assessments.

Important Standards

  • Standard 2.3: Course links to privacy policies for technology tools.
  • Standard 2.4: Any tools not being utilized are removed from the course navigation.

Why does this domain matter?

Often, the technologies and tools we implement in our courses are meant to help students meet our course objectives and are not, in and of themselves, part of the course objectives. If students are not adequately prepared to use the technologies and tools, we cannot tell whether they're struggling with course content and skills or with the technology only. Properly scaffolding technology use ensures that we can measure student progress towards the course objectives as intended.

What are some ways to achieve these standards?

When introducing a new technology, any resources you can provide to help students understand how to use that technology will help you meet both standards 2.1 and 2.2. These resources can be written step-by-step instructions, videos with narrated demonstrations, images with appropriate alt text, or some combination of all three. While these resources can be instructor-created, you can also draw on resources that already exist. For example, if you need students to provide a share link to a Kaltura video they've created, linking to this video about Kaltura links created by COLRS staff would help you meet these standards.

Standard 2.2 also focuses on ensuring that students have opportunities to practice using a technology before a high-stakes assessment. If you use Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor for your quizzes or exams, you can set up a practice quiz in your course and enable Respondus LockDown Browser on the practice quiz. This will give students an opportunity to test the technology and ensure that everything is in working order prior to exam day. You can set up a practice quiz in Classic Quizzes or New Quizzes.

Additional resources

+