Instructional Design and Technology

As we wrap up the Spring semester, many faculty are beginning to prepare for their Summer courses, while Fall course shells are now also available in Canvas for early planning.

If you would like to build or test your course in advance, you can request a sandbox course. This provides a space to design content, organize materials, or explore tools. Sandbox courses are not connected to the student information system and will not include enrollments. When ready, you can import or copy your content from the sandbox into your official course. Request a sandbox course

If you are teaching multiple sections of the same course, you may also combine them into a single Canvas course shell to streamline communication, grading, and content management. Remember the parent course should be the one that contains your course content, as combining sections moves enrollments only—not content. For best results, cross-listing should be completed before the semester begins. Request to combine sections (cross-list)

Now is a great time to consider updating your modules, creating authentic AI-resistant assessments, designing clean and beautiful pages, or creating a welcoming classroom environment. CTTL is here to support; reach out to Nancy Somjit or Andrea Fuentes!

If you are making a syllabus, there are accordion style templates available in DesignPLUS (Canvas) that already are pre populated with required language and suggested language. Either way, here are some syllabus resources:

• Syllabus Checklist
• Using Skyline Syllabus Template in Canvas
• Sample AI Policies
• Guide for Decolonizing your Syllabus

NotebookLM is free to instructors and students, and can be accessed via Gemini in the portal . One of the most impressive features is the ability to generate editable slide decks and even podcasts to explain concepts from a controlled list of sources, such as PDFs, websites, and even YouTube videos. Check out AI and Learning Differences from CTTL ... we uploaded a Stanford white paper, website links, and youtube video. If you click audio overview, you can hear a debate about implementing AI tools for neurodivergent students.

NotebookLM is a tool designed to help users understand complex information by organizing and interacting with their uploaded sources, from documents and webpages to slide decks and YouTube videos. The Google For Education version explains how users can ask questions and receive citations grounded in the source material, as well as generating content like infographics, study guides, and even Audio Overviews. You can create a notebook and share with your students, or have students create their own.

Note that under the CCCO contract with Google for Education, all information is FERPA protected and not used for training large language models. Notebook is relatively eco-conscious as it is running on limited data you put in. The estimated footprint of a median text prompt is about the same as watching television for 9 seconds.

NEW in DesignPLUS: Reduce cognitive overload, make design clear and accessible, and chunk materials clearly for students.

The long-awaited Course Theme tool is now available to all DesignPLUS users within Coursewide Tools in Canvas Course Settings. With Course Theme, you can view all themes used across your course, preview styles before applying them, and update themes across multiple course items at once. This makes it easier than ever to create a consistent, polished Canvas course experience.

Explore the tutorial below or reach out to Andrea Fuentes to try this out!

Nectir AI is now available for Skyline instructors as an optional, opt-in AI workspace integrated within Canvas. Its use is fully instructor-directed—instructors can decide if, when, and how it is incorporated into their course.

When enabled, Nectir can support student learning as a guided learning partner within the course environment. Students can use it to review key concepts, ask questions, engage in structured practice, and receive feedback grounded in instructor-provided materials. This creates additional opportunities for reinforcement and self-directed learning, particularly outside of class time.

At the same time, instructors maintain full control over how Nectir is used. They define the scope of content Nectir can reference and shape how it responds to student interactions, ensuring that its use remains aligned with course objectives and instructional intent. In this way, Nectir can be incorporated thoughtfully as a supplemental tool, supporting learning while maintaining an instructor-led course experience.

To support instructors who are interested in exploring this tool, Nectir provides onboarding workshops, tutorials, and a Faculty Quick Start Guide. These resources offer practical guidance on how Nectir can be used across different instructional contexts. Nectir is also FERPA compliant and data is protected under its agreement with the CCCO.

If you would like more information or want to talk through whether Nectir might be a good fit for your course, feel free to reach out to CTTL.

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Andrea: Email | Book a Consult - Summer Hours Available!

Nancy: Email | Book a Consult - Summer Hours Available!

Location: Building 5, Room 118, or online via Zoom!

Email: skylinecttl@smccd.edu

Website: https://skylinecollege.edu/cttl

Phone: 650-738-7080