Distance Education Tips

You can highlight and make notes on website content just as you do textbooks. Hypothes.is is a social bookmarking tool that highlights, annotates and saves bookmarked pages in lists. You can make your comments visible to others, or keep your annotations private. Hypothes.is is a Chrome extension and can be found in the Web Store. Diigo is another commonly used annotation tool and Chrome extension.

In Google Docs or Microsoft Word, you can generate citations with ease. 

• Google Docs: Add citations and a bibliography
• Microsoft Word: Create a bibliography, citations, and references

Plan ahead to keep important course and contact information handy. 

• Save a copy of the syllabus, assignment schedule, and course materials to your Google Drive.
• You may want to print a copy of important documents.
• If you plan on working offline, download the materials you’ll need while you have WiFi access.
• Save your instructor’s email address so you can contact them as needed. 
• Share contact information with a few classmates, so you can text one another in case of online connectivity issues. Check your email for further instructions from your instructor.

If you are manually logging in every time you come to campus, consider setting up your ITS Passthrough. Visit: https://www.hawaii.edu/wireless/pt/

Passthrough privileges are valid for one year and can be renewed annually. 

Finding it hard to get students together for group projects? Use Google Calendar to set meeting times and notify participants. The Calendar is accessible through UH Google Apps. 

Doodle.com is an online scheduling tool that allows a meeting organizer to poll group members on their available times to narrow down workable options. 

Google Slides is included in UH Google Apps. Slides presentations automatically save to Google Drive. How to use Google Slides.

PowerPoint often comes bundled with Windows computers. PowerPoint presentations can be uploaded to Google Drive and will convert to Google Slides. Create a presentation in PowerPoint.

Both PowerPoint and Slides have collaboration features for group presentations. 

Infographics can also be used for presentations. Check out Canva for infographic and slide templates. Design compelling infographics with Canva.

On a Mac:

To capture a screenshot on a Mac, press Shift + Command + 3 for the entire screen or Shift + Command + 4 for a portion of the screen. You can also capture a specific window by using Shift + Command + 4, pressing the Space bar, and then clicking the desired window.

On a PC:

To capture a screenshot on a Windows PC, use the Print Screen (PrtScn) key or the Windows key + PrtScn key. The PrtScn key captures the entire screen, and Windows + PrtScn captures the entire screen and saves it directly to the Screenshots folder.

TechSmith Capture, a free alternative to SnagIt, creates basic screenshots and screen recordings.

Create quizzes, flashcards, and interactive diagrams with Knowt. 

Use Google Docs’ Voice Typing feature for organizing your thoughts or creating a quick transcript for a speech or presentation. To access this feature in Google Docs, click Tools and Voice Typing. A microphone icon will appear.

The Voice to Text extension for the Google Chrome browser recognizes over 60 languages. To add the extension, go to the Chrome Web Store. 

Many operating systems include speech to text software:

• On a Mac, enable Enhanced Dictation through System Preferences > Keyboard > Dictation.
• On a Windows computer, enable Windows Speech Recognition through Programs > Accessories > Ease of Access > Windows Speech Recognition.

Many online classes use Zoom for Web conferencing. Students also use the platform for group work outside of class. Go to Zoom.us to open a free account. The site has helpful resources on how to host a meeting, handle audio issues, and more.