MARCH 19 Update: COVID-19
Faculty & Academic Staff Briefing #5
Dear Faculty and Academic Staff:
Please note that all of these emails and other official communications related to COVID-19 are archived on The View. You may go there directly to review information that has been sent by email. You do not need to search through your own inbox.
This daily briefing includes:
- Internship guidance message
- Reminder: Reach out to your students this week
- Inclusion, Equity, & Access in Remote Teaching
- Campus Lab’s Closed & IS Support For Virtual Access
- Technology & Student Support
- Grading & Faculty Support
INTERNSHIP GUIDANCE MESSAGE
During Champlain’s remote learning period students who are in an “internship” (a field experience/internship/practicum/student teaching) should follow these guidelines:
- Students can choose whether to continue/return to their internships based on their personal health and safety needs and in conjunction with the internship organization’s COVID-19 policy.
- Students can work remotely for the internship organization per the organization’s policy, including Champlain College internships such as the EMC and Leahy Center.
- If students are continuing their internship either in person or remotely, the faculty member will add the student names and location to the College Internship Registry.
- If students choose not to or are unable to stay connected with their internship organization in person or remotely, they will work directly with the internship course professors to determine an alternative method of achieving learning goals for the class
REMINDER: REACH OUT TO YOUR STUDENTS THIS WEEK
Please reach out to your students this week to let them know that you are preparing for their ongoing learning. Even if you are still working on a plan, let students know that you will provide more details soon. It is important that students hear from you, and it is helpful to acknowledge that this new way of teaching and learning is difficult, unsettling, and uncharted for many of us. The CLT has a guide for writing that first email to students, and Inside Higher Ed just published a helpful article on how to keep things “human” in a technology-mediated learning environment.
INCLUSION, EQUITY, & ACCESS IN REMOTE TEACHING
As you move your teaching to a remote environment, it is important to consider equitable access to the learning environment. This post from the CLT describes ways you can address the particular inclusion and equity issues and complexities that arise in technology-mediated teaching contexts.
TECHNOLOGY & STUDENT SUPPORT
Jeff Brown (Chief Information Officer and VP for Information Systems) sent a message to all students on 3/17 with information on internet connectivity, software availability, and more. He included a survey to ask students about their technology needs. We are actively monitoring student responses and coordinating necessary follow-up. Based on the survey responses, we may ask you to reach out to one of your students; we appreciate your support in helping us understand individual student needs. Once we have a greater sense of the student’s needs, we will coordinate a strategy to address them.
CAMPUS LAB CLOSINGS & IS SUPPORT FOR VIRTUAL ACCESS
Campus computer labs and other facilities are closed to in-person access (students, faculty and staff). A group of faculty is actively working with Information Systems to identify the alternative measures that will allow students to continue to have access to these resources through virtual means. For faculty who teach technology-dependent courses please indicate the software here and anticipated number of users. Students will receive an email on Friday from their Dean that will include the updated information about closed labs, and the Information Systems department will send students a message with additional updates on accessing technology remotely.
GRADING & FACULTY SUPPORT
At the end of each semester faculty are required to submit a final letter grade, for each student, to the Registrar’s Office. This semester is no different. Faculty should continue to engage their students in a robust and substantive way to ensure that students are achieving expected outcomes. As we focus on the student experience, students benefit from receiving a final letter grade so that they:
- Demonstrate proficiency and obtain the requisite knowledge to build on their learning. This is especially important with courses that have minimum grade prerequisite requirements.
- Letter grades contribute to the student’s GPA, which is critical for those who are applying to graduate school, as it illustrates academic success.
- GPA and letter grades are paramount to our senior students who have shown dedication during their college career so that they can graduate with Latin Honors.
Faculty should connect with the CLT to discuss any concerns they have regarding how to implement formative and summative assessments that equitably measure desired outcomes, while being empathic to potential student hardships and applying the principles of universal design in flexible ways. A resource on potential assessment strategies appropriate for distance learning is available here. In addition, the CLT is ready to assist any faculty member who would like support setting up their Canvas assignments, gradebook and SpeedGrader. Sign up for a consultation here.
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.
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