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Virtual programs are a great way to make sure students have an opportunity to connect with your department and access to the resources your department provides, even if they are not on campus. When planning virtual programs, it's important to consider the needs of students (specifically online students), the goals and outcomes established by your department, and the technology (and technical knowledge) required to successfully execute your program. Here are some steps to get you started planning virtual programs for your department.

Establish Goals and Outcomes for Your Program

Knowing what you want students to get out of your program will help determine the best modality and technology to use for your virtual program. Start by creating learning goals and outcomes for your program, then design activities to help students get to those outcomes.

Determine the Type of Virtual Program You Want to Create

Synchronous Programs

Synchronous programs require students to participate at a specific time and interact in “real time”. Examples of synchronous programs include live streaming and video conferencing.

Asynchronous Programs

Asynchronous programs allow students to go at their own pace and engage with materials and resources on their own time. Examples of asynchronous programs include videos and online courses.

Create a Card Swipe Event for Your Program
The Eagle Access Card Swipe system is used campus-wide to track student participation and engagement and is the best way to track virtual program participation for current UNT students and employees. Students will sign in on their device with their EUID and password. Once they sign in, they'll be redirected to the link for your virtual program.  If you need help getting set up as a Card Swipe user or if you have questions about the Eagle Access Card Swipe system, you'll need to reach out to DSAassessment@unt.edu.
Review and Update Your Website
Your website is great place to share more information about your program. You can include a description of your program so participants know what to expect. It's also good to include contact information in case participants run into issues or have additional questions. Program webpages are usually active for multiple years, so it's important to update them each time you plan to host your program so you can catch any outdated information, and program/registration links.  Establish Goals and Outcomes for Your Program
Add Your Program to the UNT Calendar

UNT's online event calendar is a comprehensive, university-wide event marketing calendar managed by University Brand Strategy and Communications. Adding virtual events to the UNT calendar is an important step to make sure students are aware of opportunities to connect with your office virtually. When you add your events to the UNT Calendar, the information automatically filters out to other webpages such as the DSA Virtual Programs and Resources Page.

  1. Visit calendar.unt.edu and log in with your EUID and password.

  2. Click the green Submit and Event button.

  3. Fill in your program details.

    • Under location select virtual or hybrid experience.

    • Under Dial-In Instructions use your program's Card Swipe link as the Stream URL.

    • If you have a page for your program on your website, enter it in the Event Website space under Additional Details.

  1. After you submit your event USBC's calendar management team will edit and approve your event (this can take up to 7 days).

Evaluate Your Program

It's important to assess the effectiveness of your program. Have a plan in place to measure if students achieved desired outcomes by participating in your program. Program assessments can provide valuable feedback to improve the quality and effectiveness of your virtual programs.