MARCH 16 UPDATE: COVID-19
Faculty & Academic Staff Briefing #2
Dear Faculty and Academic Staff:
This daily briefing includes:
- What it means to have “Regular and Substantive” instruction in remote learning
- Reminder: CLT Webinars and 1:1 Support
- Faculty Canvas Mentors
- Emergent Facebook Resources
- FAQs and Links to More
REGULAR, SUBSTANTIVE INTERACTION
Our regional accreditor, NECHE, assures us that our Commission approval covers the temporary transition of our on-campus courses to a remote format. Furthermore, the US Department of Education is providing broad approval to institutions to use online technologies to accommodate students on a temporary basis. Nonetheless, we are required to provide students with a quality learning experience that includes “regular, substantive academic interaction” between instructor and students. Luckily, the types of activities that count as “substantive interaction” are wide and varied. Please visit the CLT’s Activities and Discussions page for tips and tools on how to provide regular, substantive interaction as well as how to remain present for and engaged with your students while teaching remotely.
REMINDER CLT WEBINARS AND 1:1 SUPPORT
The Center for Learning and Teaching is your go-to resource right now. Please review their special Covid-19 response page. If you haven’t already completed the Remote Learning Readiness and Support Survey, please do so. Finally, if you are looking for a one-on-one appointment click here.
Upcoming CLT Webinars (look in your Google Calendar for invites):
- Monday 3/16, 6-7:15pm – Transitioning to Remote Instruction
- Tuesday 3/17, 1-2:15pm – Transitioning to Remote Instruction
- Wednesday 3/18, 6-7:15pm – Transitioning to Remote Instruction
- Thursday 3/19, 3:30-4:45pm – Designing and Running Online Discussions
- Friday 3/20, 1-2:15pm – Running Webinars and Remote Meetings
FACULTY CANVAS MENTORS
We truly have an amazing community of colleagues, many of whom are well versed in working in the Canvas environment and are volunteering their time to work with other faculty to support this transition. Take advantage of the network you already know, and if you want additional support, here is a list of faculty who have offered to help out. If you are a faculty member looking for some additional support, please get in touch with these faculty members on this list directly. If you are a Dean or a PD looking to support a faculty colleague, please consider this list as a resource for you.
EMERGENT FACEBOOK RESOURCES
The following facebook groups are possible resources for faculty: “Online Art & Design Studio Instruction in the Age of ‘Social Distancing,” “Higher Ed and the Coronavirus,” and “Pandemic Pedagogy”. These are also listed in the “Resource” section of the Faculty FAQ document.
FAQs
Many faculty have been contributing to this FAQ document. Please continue to post questions specific to remote instruction, internships and advising to the document. We are monitoring this document daily and responding to your questions as soon as we can. Below is a sampling of the instruction-related questions answered in this document:
- Question: How can we facilitate chat-based communication among Faculty and Students? Answer: See CLT: Running a webinar or remote meeting
- Question: Are students expected to virtually attend class on the same days and times as the face-to-face schedule (synchronous)? Answer: You may, but are not required to, teach on your days and times See this article on the pros and cons.
If you have more general questions, such as those related to student employment, campus services or events, please submit them using this form. The View has a robust and growing FAQ page where answers are being posted daily. Submissions using the form will be posted to the FAQ page.
ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS
Ongoing communication and resources for Faculty and Staff will be posted on The View. It’s a good idea to check the site daily as new communications and FAQs are posted regularly. Finally, all Faculty Daily Briefing emails are stored here and also hosted on The View.
QUICK LINKS
