As you prepare for teaching in person classes during fall, TEP advises all instructors to prepare a contingency plan for pivoting to a fully remote course at any time. To help you make a plan, we outline a few steps to help make a transition to a fully remote course as smooth as possible, should this become necessary. We also advise faculty to visit our Remote Course Builder for more ideas.
(1) Include a syllabus statement that acknowledges the possibility of going fully remote and indicates basic strategies for how this will happen in the course. Such a statement can help students be more prepared and know what to expect. Here is an example statement:
As the university community adjusts to teaching and learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, our class may need to move to remote delivery and course requirements, deadlines, and grading percentages are subject to change. I will be mindful of the many impacts the unfolding events related to COVID-19 may be having on you. During this unusual time, I encourage you to talk with me about what you are experiencing so we can work together to help you succeed in this course.
(2) Organize your Canvas course site in a way that facilitates ease of use in a remote teaching and learning context. For instance, have a stable wayfinder–a logical, consistent place for students to look for what they need each week; use consistent naming conventions in your Canvas site; use transparent assignment design; and use “modules” to organize your Canvas site. Learn more and see samples from colleagues’ Canvas sites here.
(3) Have a plan for making up absences if things go remote. You might have a policy like:
Though attendance and participation account for 10 percent of students’ grades, I have developed and posted to Canvas daily make-up activities which may be by any student for any reason.
Example make-up activities include:
- Upload lecture recordings or notes and slides paired with specific reflective questions for students. Ask students: “Please review my slides and note what you learned and what is the most unclear.” TEP offers some ideas to deepen engagement with readings here.
- Spend a few minutes at the end of the discussion having students summarize key points on a Canvas discussion board. Then ask students who couldn’t attend to respond or write a synthesis.
- Have students submit a journal entry, series of sketches, or other process notes to capture reflections about their work practice.
(4) Have an adaptable assessment plan. This includes being flexible and changing workload expectations if things do go remote. It might also entail creating alternative assessments or use of Canvas to administer exams. Remember that all in person classes will become remote after Thanksgiving break.
(5) Prepare to use Zoom. This might mean you organize your class time with use of Zoom in mind, including offering a remote option for students from the start of your course or uploading videos of your in person classes to Canvas for students to engage with after class. Information Services has been working hard to upgrade UO classrooms to provide instructors with the technology needed to use Zoom during in person classes and thus have the ability to capture class sessions as videos or provide remote synchronous options for students who cannot attend in person. Alternately, you might at least begin learning and practicing use of Zoom in case it becomes needed.
(6) Support student success and wellbeing. Should a pivot to fully remote learning occur, it will do so in a context of already elevated stress for students – a time when many students will be new to the university, most students will be navigating a mix of class modalities (in person, remote, and online), and students will be experiencing heightened anxiety due to the ongoing pandemic and fraught social tensions, including the fall election. Instructors can be proactive in supporting students’ wellbeing by keeping in mind trauma-informed pedagogy and emphasizing student resiliency and academic self-efficacy. In particular, ensure that students know about support resources such as the Counseling Center, Accessible Education Center, and technology options for remote learning, among many other important resources that are available to support students in a remote context. We also encourage instructors to build student success strategies into their courses, and a number of possible approaches can be found at our Student Success Toolkit for use or adaptation.
(7) Keep interacting with students. In spring 2020, students expressed appreciation for interactive opportunities with instructors while learning remotely–not just through synchronous Zoom class meetings but also interaction outside of class time. There are a variety of ways to connect with students, including office hours, student feedback opportunities, and use of Canvas tools to facilitate interpersonal connections.
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