Creating Curriculum Onboarding Materials for Instructors

For Curriculum Developers

1. Make a copy of the Curriculum Onboarding presentation template

   • If preparing an onboarding session for a Data Carpentry, Library Carpentry, or Software Carpentry curriculum, you can use one of the following lesson program-specific templates:

     • Data Carpentry curriculum onboarding template

     • Library Carpentry curriculum onboarding template

     • Software Carpentry curriculum onboarding template

2. Edit the presentation by following the guidance in the template.

   • Use any template slides that you want to. You are not required to stick rigidly to the structure and layout provided in the template.

   • Do not be afraid to add images and other visuals to make the presentation more engaging - just make sure they are compatible with the CC-BY license of the presentation and include the appropriate attribution information.

   • Refer to the Accessible Presentation Guidelines as you prepare the presentation.

3. (Optional but recommended) Prepare a script for the presentation.

   • This could be placed in the presenter notes of the onboarding slides, or a separate text document (e.g. a Google Doc, a CodiMD document).

   • A script can help you make a smooth presentation, but also doubles up as a transcript that can be added to the video on YouTube and facilitate closed captioning.

   • To create a new CodiMD document, visit https://codimd.carpentries.org and click the “New note” (if logged in) or “New guest note” button. Use the pencil or split window buttons near the top-left to switch to editing and split-screen mode.

4. When the presentation is ready, record a video presenting the onboarding.

   • Use whatever software you are most comfortable with to record the video.

     • You can use Zoom to record the presentation:

       • use the screen sharing feature to share the slides as you present.

       • use the record feature to record the presentation.

       • consider recording multiple “takes” (runs through the presentation).

       • to make it easier to identify the breaks between takes when editing the video, hold an object (e.g. a piece of paper) in front of the camera briefly between each repeat.

   • Although not required, you could present the onboarding in a community discussion-type event and record that meeting (with participants’ permission).

   • A curriculum onboarding presentation should be no more than 45 minutes long.

5. Share the recording, a link to the slides, and a copy of the script (if you have one) with The Carpentries Curriculum Team (curriculum@carpentries.org), who will edit it and publish in the Curriculum Onboarding Videos playlist on our YouTube channel.

For Core Team

1. Review the video and check the following:

   • The presentation and recording conforms to The Carpentries Code of Conduct

   • The quality of the sound and video is sufficient

   • The presentation includes each of the sections laid out in the onboarding presentation template

     • What You Can Expect From This Onboarding

     • Curriculum Overview

     • Overview of Lessons (if curriculum contains multiple lessons)

     • Common Challenges

     • Acknowledgements

   • The length of the onboarding video is in the range of 15-45 minutes

2. Upload video to YouTube as a private video, let YouTube auto-generate the captions

3. After captions are ready (usually done in 24 hours), download the transcript file

4. Edit the transcript, using the script for reference if it was shared by the video’s creator(s), and upload it back to the video

5. When you are ready to make the video public, add it to the Curriculum Onboarding playlist. This should automatically change the visibility setting.

6. Announce the availability of the video to the community on general Slack channel, instructors TopicBox list, in newsletter, link to it from the Instructor Notes page of the relevant lesson site(s)