I. Preparing a Course

Administration

Scheduling a Course

Elizabeth Margutti teaching a library course on computer use.

Decide whether your course should meet three times a week for 50-minute sessions, twice a week for 75- minute sessions, or once a week for 2 1/2 hours. Your department should have a fair, equitable system for assigning course slots, and you need to be flexible in your requests; classroom space is limited, and you will not always be able to schedule courses for your preferred days and times. The Course Offering Directory (COD) (http:// codd.itc.virginia.edu/cod/), distributed by the Registrar's Office and used by students and faculty advisors in planning each semester's course load, lists each course by department. Included are course title and abbreviation, course schedule number, section number, credit hours, scheduled time, location, instructor's name, maximum enrollment, and preregistration enrollment. The administrative staff in your department may ask you for information to update your department's listing each semester. To verify accuracy, always check your listings as soon as the COD appears.

Ordering Textbooks and Supplies

To have textbooks available for your students, you must order them ahead of time: begin early to examine possible textbooks. Most publishers will send you examination copies (see below); also consult with colleagues and web sites at other institutions to discover what they have found most useful, and visit textbook exhibits at professional meetings. At annual textbook fairs in Newcomb Hall, you can examine various texts and meet helpful salespeople. Learn how much potential textbooks will cost; you may elect to put on reserve books that students won't read in full. After choosing your text(s), request order forms from the University of Virginia Bookstore and from the Student Bookstore; once you have ordered books for a course, you will automatically receive requisition forms when you next offer the course.

Ordering deadlines. Bookstore ordering deadlines ensure sufficient time to acquire used books from U.Va. students and wholesalers, to determine availability of texts ordered, and to process and receive orders. Standard deadlines apply to supplies such as engineering tools, electronic components, dissecting instruments, art supplies: April 1 for summer school; May 1 for fall semester (allowing time to buy back students' used books during exams); and November 1 for spring semester. Usually, the general merchandising department of the bookstore can assemble customized packages of supplies if you like. If you must send in a last-minute requisition, be ready for delays: delivery can take two to three weeks from some publishers during the peak months of August and January; books can go out-of-stock when demand exceeds production estimates. Also, some companies (albeit minor ones) insist on prepayment before shipping books, resulting in additional delays of one to two weeks. Enrollment estimates. When ordering texts, estimate enrollment as accurately as possible. Bookstore personnel determine likely enrollment by considering your estimate, course pre-enrollment figures for undergraduate courses, sales history for courses previously offered, and the availability of used texts on Grounds. If you know your course enrollment will be substantially greater than in the past (because, for example, more graduate students were admitted or major/minor requirements were changed), explain the situation on your requisition form.

Availability of books. A few days before classes begin, check bookstore shelves to be sure all your ordered books have arrived. Normally, because of over-enrollment, about ten or fifteen percent of course orders are insufficient. Bookstore staff will reorder only when you so request. Reorders are shipped at regular UPS rates unless you request air mail; if you do so, these charges will be added to the cost of the book.

Desk copies and examination copies. A desk copy is the book used by the course instructor; an examination copy is a book considered ahead of time for possible use in a course. Request an examination copy only of of books you seriously think you might use in a course. (Some companies ask for return of or payment for books not adopted.) To receive desk copies for you and your TAs (if any), write directly to the publisher on your department letterhead; such requests usually receive prompt attention. U.Va. Bookstore will order desk copies if you so request on the original requisition. Desk copies can only be sent to your department. U.Va. Bookstore will also loan you or a TA a desk copy from the shelves if you occasionally need one in a hurry. If so, ask the publisher for a replacement copy immediately. All loaned books must be returned, replaced, or bought.

Creating Packets

When no textbook covers just what you want, just as you want it covered, you may construct a course-specific packet. You can do this either electronically or on paper, as appropriate. You can place course materials on electronic reserve for students to print out through Instructional Toolkit (http://toolkit.virginia.edu) (see below). Or you can work with U.Va. Printing Services or an outside firm to make a hard-copy collection that students purchase directly. Follow these tips to make sure your packet is useful, affordable, and available when your students need it:

• Shop around. Electronic course materials are free, but costs of paper packets can vary. Some local printing services do everything but select your readings, including gathering sources at libraries and obtaining copyright permissions; others are more concerned about keeping costs down. Find the route that best fits your needs and gives your students the best deal.
  
  
• Provide a table of contents. Students keep packets that they find useful.
  
  
• Be creative about your packet's contents. Besides readings, consider including, when appropriate, study guides, graphs, computer-generated information, lecture notes, and practice exams.
  
  
• Don't include more text than students need. Include only the necessary five pages from a twenty page chapter, thus saving money and expediting securing copyright. Less than one-tenth of a text can often be reproduced without royalty fees.
  
  
• Provide originals whenever possible. The printers can normally do any required reducing or enlarging.
  
  
• Give your originals and secured copyright permission to the printer at least two weeks before you need the packets. Printing services require approximately seven to ten days to reproduce materials with no copyright delays. When you ask the printing service to secure copyright permission, packet preparation may take more than a month. Permissions fees are normally added to the students' cost of the packet.
  
  
• If you can't submit all the materials early but would like the service to obtain permissions, send the printers as soon as possible a complete table of contents: for each source include title; authors' names; edition, volume, issue, and page numbers; and the copyright holder's name and address.

Placing Materials on Reserve

Most University libraries can reserve books, articles, videotapes, and so on for your course, keeping the material available throughout the semester. Use library order forms to place on reserve both library materials and those you bring in yourself. Reserve items are kept in a central location for students to use, in the library or outside as you designate, for a limited period of time (usually two hours or two days).
With the reserve service, you avoid unnecessary photocopying and make available to everyone optional books and popular books some students might otherwise check out for the entire semester. Individual libraries have different specific reserve policies.
Another option for reserving materials is to have course readings, such as journal articles, book chapters, or homework solutions, scanned electronically by the library as PDF files which students can access and print themselves through Instructional Toolkit. This method also allows instructors to create and manage class home pages and set up class e-mail discussion lists. The library has instructions for getting your toolkit set up and ready to receive electronic course materials at http://www.lib.virginia.edu/reserve/instructfac.html/. This site also provides information about the University's policy on copying copyrighted materials and the web form for submitting requests to the library for Toolkit materials. A 15-page document is the largest that students can print without excessive delay, so paper reserves are still the best option for smaller classes with many readings that are longer than a few pages.

Take good care of your equipment, and your equipment will take good care of you.

—-Duffy Daugherty, Former
   Michigan State University
    football coach

Reserving Equipment

When planning your course, consider integrating media such as films, slides, video and audiotapes, or computer-assisted instruction. Such different media can intrigue and motivate if used effectively (for ideas, see "Lecture Courses" and "Laboratory Teaching"). Of course, choosing a multimedia approach necessitates reserving appropriate equipment. Each school makes available equipment useful to its specific disciplines (for details, see Appendix IIB). Although reservation policies differ in details, you must normally reserve equipment at least a day in advance. For success with equipment, follow these tips:

• Be sure you know how to operate the equipment you reserve; audiovisual center staff will be happy to show you.
  
  
• Pick up the equipment well before class to set it up and make sure it works as expected. In advance, preview and cue tapes to starting points.
  
  
• Remember that once you have equipment, you are responsible for its safety; in many cases, you will need to sign an acceptance of liability. Of course, never leave equipment unattended, and be especially careful when taking equipment on and off elevators.
  
  
• If you plan to use a piece of equipment regularly (an overhead projector or microphone, for instance), reserve it for the entire semester, if possible.
  
  
• If you plan to use elaborate equipment frequently, try to schedule your course in a specially equipped classroom or one near the audiovisual center.
  
  
• If your course will require special equipment, such as a screen, moveable desks and chairs, or a seminar table, be sure your departmental facilities coordinator includes your needs in the departmental request for classrooms (usually submitted the preceding semester). If you find yourself in a room that lacks a necessary piece of equipment, request that your facilities coordinator order it for you; or request a change to a room appropriately equipped.

Teaching with technology does not necessarily mean using computers in the
classroom. The classroom is a place where students and teachers share the
work they do outside. Teaching with new technologies involves enhancing
both the preparation outside the classroom and the sharing within.

—Kirk Martini,
  Architecture and Civil Engineering