When choosing a tool, consider the following criteria when making your selection:
Any tool you choose should fit the pedagogy of the course.
The fundamental measure of any tool is: “Can it help your students meet the learning objectives you’ve set for your course?” Once you have identified the technical needs for your course, it becomes easier to hone in on appropriate tools. For example, if a course learning objective is to teach students how to give an effective oral presentation, you may want to prioritize finding a discussion tool that includes video or audio recording.
Consider the circumstances of your course.
Your course may be fully face-to-face or fully remote. Or you may have both in-person and online audiences, in which some students are in a physical classroom, and the others join by web conference or will need to be provided a recording of the class or an alternative lesson. Consider what classroom equipment do you need to enable instruction and interaction between the in-person and remote students.
Rely on tools that the college already provides.
Try to adopt the educational technology tools that your department, the Library or Technology and Innovation supports. This will allow you and your students to use existing help documentation and receive timely technical help.
The technology tool must be accessible by all students.
Some technologies cannot be adopted because of concerns that extend beyond your course: Is that service available in a student’s country? Do they have sufficient bandwidth to use the program? Is it cost-prohibitive? Does it meet accommodation standards?
Only use a tool if you can explain it.
Even when help resources are available, you are the first line of defense for assistance. To avoid problems, it is helpful that you read documentation and know where to find basic instructions and where to get help. For example, if you assign choose to use X, you may need troubleshoot problems before the library or T&I is able to provide more robust assistance.
