The following is a list of tips and suggestions to ensure scholarly rigour and content consistency within the Program, as well as with other programs at the College. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your Program’s Chair or the Librarian.
The person, group, or organization responsible for creating the content should be the same as the person, group, or organization hosting/posting the content. If not, there may be issues of copyright to consider. If you have any concerns, err on the side of caution and find another source.
Sources should come from individuals/organizations with appropriate credentials, education, and/or experience in their field to speak as an authority and provide valid, relevant information on the subject. If you aren’t sure, err on the side of caution and find a different source.
Digital content is often unstable, and its location can change or disappear without notice. Where possible, use stable links and sources: for example, rather than use a news clip posted on YouTube, check to see if the material is archived through network’s own website. Please also keep in mind that it is not always possible to view online content during class time due to issues with access to technology.
Before choosing to include a digital resource, consider the intentions or motivations behind its creation: who is the intended audience, and why have they been targeted to receive this information? What are the implicit and explicit biases of the source, and how do they influence the representation of the content? If you have any concerns, err on the side of caution and find another source.
You cannot show content from Netflix or any other subscription sources.
Is the source Canadian, and/or does it speak directly to Canadian contexts? If not, you will need to consider if and how it is relevant to Canada in terms of its peoples, policies, experiences, legal contexts, government, Charter, etc. Please note that US-based materials are much less likely to contain relevant information than sources from other Commonwealth countries with parliamentary democracies (such as the UK, Australia, and New Zealand). Though US law and policy influences popular cultural resources in Canada (through film and TV, social media, etc), it is not representative of Canadian justice systems, institutions, practices, or experiences. Whenever possible, please use Canadian resources. The NorQuest library has access to a wide variety of Canadian digital content, including the National Film Board Campus database and CBC Curio.
Please be mindful of the range of students’ learning styles and abilities, and ensure that any digital content being used during class time should be accessible to all students (including those with limited visual and/or auditory abilities, etc). Check for closed-captioning options, etc.
Keep in mind that NorQuest is an inclusive learning environment and seeks to meet students where they are at. If your content has upsetting, violent, offensive, or otherwise questionable details or content, you will need to include a trigger or content warning on your map especially if you plan on showing the material in class as part of a learning activity. Consult with your Chair or Associate Chair if you aren’t sure whether something is triggering or not. Curriculum Designers may also be able to vet it for you from the “student’s perspective.”
Please limit the use of digital content during class time (ie: watching videos, listening to podcasts or other audio recordings): consider using shorter excerpts (5-7 minutes), or including digital resources as optional or supplementary materials for students to watch/listen to at home.
Consider when and how the instructor should present digital resources, as well as when and how students should engage with its content, and include this information in your Curriculum Map and Unit Content Guide. Will the material be available to students prior to class, or will it be presented during class time? Clearly indicate how the resource will be made accessible to students, and consider contingency plans for accessing digital content in the event of technical difficulties. Will students engage with the material in group discussion? If so, please provide example discussion questions. Are there specific learning activities associated with the material? Please provide a description of these activities and if/how student participation will be evaluated. Note that not all students have access to portable, wifi-enabled technology (laptops, tablets, mobile phones, etc), so if a learning activity requires this access, you will need to include information for instructors to secure computer lab access or laptop carts for students.
This
work is licensed
under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
License. Details and Exceptions.