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Tips for teaching with the OpenLab

Now that we've begun using the OpenLab in our teaching, we can compile a tip sheet based on what we've done well--and what we wish we had done! Here are a few categories to get us started, but feel free to edit them as you see fit.   Signing up

First assignments

• As students to do something relatively easy and early  so that the assignment itself doesn't intimidate them--then they will have mastered the technical skills by the time the assignments get more challenging.
• If you have your site set to allow anyone to post, you might want to set it to require moderation for the first comment from any user or email address.
• If you need to moderate a comment, no one can see it until you do! That means that you have to check in frequently if you want students commenting to each other at the beginning of the semester.
• Only authors can write posts, but anyone can comment (if you choose that setting). That means that someone who can't get signed in for whatever reason can still comment--this can be helpful at the start of the semester. Transition to posts after an initial registration and troubleshooting period.

Semester-long assignments

Using categories and tags