Faculty Instructional Technology Resources -
Best Practices - CTools

Pedagogical Principles

Decide if students will mainly interact with CTools through Resources or Schedule.
If you’re using the Schedule as the main way for students to access readings, feel free to organize Resources by topic (cardiovascular unit, nursing policy, etc.) or type of media (readings, handouts, web sites, etc.)
If you are not using the schedule, arrange all the Resources for one week (or lesson or unit) in one folder. This way, students know they can go to one folder and read everything in it and be prepared for class. This is much easier for students than having to get one item each week out of folders called “Readings,” “Web Sites,” “Handouts,” etc.

Eliminate similar-but-not-identical documents, web sites, etc. Even conscientious students who love to read will skip material that looks like duplicate info at first glance.
Avoid adding resources “just in case they need it.” Consider, instead, having an assignment where students submit the 2 best links they can find on a topic, annotated like a bibliography. Then post the whole annotated list under Resources.
Hide all the tools you’re not using. The most common items to hide are Assignments, Chat, Discussion, Drop box, E-mail Archive, News, and Web Content. Feel free to contact Emily Springfield ( or 7-0354) to discuss what you might eliminate.
If you’re not sure if you’re going to use it, hide it at the beginning of class and show it later. Students will look at something new; they won’t look at something old that was empty/unused when they first looked at it.