Self-Supported Course Technologies Guidance for Faculty

Overview

Self-supported technologies are applications, platforms, tools, and other technologies that are not formally supported by School of Nursing IT department or existing enterprise instructional technology services.

Examples may include:

  • Specialized educational software

  • Third-party learning platforms

  • Discipline-specific clinical or research tools

  • Specialized simulation tools

Before introducing a new tool or software into your course, it’s important to think through the overall student experience, technical support needs, accessibility, and what happens if the technology does not work as expected. Because these technologies are self-supported, UMSN-IT may have limited ability to assist with:

  • Product configuration

  • Vendor-specific troubleshooting

  • Feature support

  • Integration issues

  • Student technical assistance

Before You Can Use the New Software or Technology 

Faculty are encouraged to consult with both:

These conversations can help identify e​​​​xisting university-supported alternatives, possible integration or interoperability issues, accessibility concerns, security or privacy considerations, or potential impacts on students.

Faculty Responsibilities & Checklist

Once you have completed your consultations, please make sure you have completed the following steps to ensure an smooth deployment of the new technology:

  • Have a backup plan: Document troubleshooting and have a contingency plan in place to manage technology failures.  This will need to be communicated to students and included in the syllabi for your courses.
     
  • Provide documentation on the use of the technology to students: Faculty should provide students with clear information about how to access and use the technology, including any required accounts, setup steps, or recommended devices and browsers. Students should also be informed of any associated costs, how the technology will be used within the course, and whether its use will affect participation, assignments, or grading.
     
  • Perform an orientation or demonstration on how to use the technology: Faculty are encouraged to provide students with basic orientation materials or training before requiring the technology in a course. This should include brief guidance, demonstrations, tutorials, or written instructions.
     

  • Evaluate accessibility: Accessibility should be considered when selecting and implementing self-supported technologies. Faculty should evaluate whether the platform supports accessibility features such as screen readers, keyboard navigation, captioning, readability, and mobile access, and be prepared to provide accommodations or alternative access methods if needed. If limitations exist, faculty should be prepared to provide alternative access methods or accommodations where needed.

    Note: Instructional Design staff can help review accessibility considerations during the planning process.  The following link provides more information on making sure your course meets accessibility standards: Making Your Course Accessible

Get Help

UMSN IT

Email: nursing-help@umich.edu

Phone: 734-764-6300

Office: 400 NIB Room 4237

Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday.

 

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