During campus closures from inclement weather and other circumstances, faculty face uncertainty about whether it is possible to continue teaching in-person classes. Guidelines from the Office of the Provost encourage us to consider teaching virtually where possible while campus remains closed.
General Class Considerations | Teaching Preparations
General Class Considerations
Here are some ideas to keep in mind if you are going to teach virtually while campus is closed:
Consider your initial format
How much shift do you need to create to make the most of the time you have this week? If you cannot reach all of your teaching goals due to the limitations of weather and technology, can you support partial progress toward your goals?
Delay high-stake assignments and assessments
Given that not all students will be able to participate in whatever you design to accommodate the closure, assessments and high stakes assignments will not be possible without equitable options for students who are not able to participate. Consider delaying these if at all possible. If not, consider extending timelines for submission.
Design student participation as “opt-in”
Students may not have regular access to technology and you may face problems with technology access yourself. Therefore, think of this time before we return to “normal” operations as optional rather than required. What types of activities will support learning for those students who are able to participate, and not penalize students who are not able to join?
Design alternative options for those unable to join
Instructors who choose to use synchronous meetings for their classes should be prepared to offer clear options for those who cannot attend synchronously, for example, not counting absences against students unable to attend, making recordings available, and extending windows for completion of quizzes and assignments to overlap with campus reopening.
If planned, limit Zoom sessions to scheduled class time
If you plan on conducting opt-in Zoom sessions with students, be certain to restrict them to your scheduled course times as listed on the official schedule.
Communicate your plan
Communicate with your students about your intentions for the campus closure period. Encourage and remind students to check their official olemiss.edu email often.
Teaching Preparations
University closing means that classes must be postponed. If closing days significantly affect your teaching plans and learning objectives, the delay can be costly. To help you prepare for these circumstances, we have gathered some of the online or distance learning techniques that can be implemented with short notice.
Resources
Campus Closure Preparation Checklist
Step-by-step Guides:
Enable Blackboard Guide from FTDC
Record Audio in PowerPoint
Record a Video in Panopto on Mac | Record a Video in Panopto on Windows
Blackboard
It is strongly encouraged that you enable Blackboard for your course and make it available to your students prior to the beginning of the semester. This will ensure you have a backup plan in place.
Lectures
Narrate your PowerPoint slides or record a screencast as a way to deliver course content. You may use a computer with a microphone or a tablet to create this type of lecture. Your recording can then be uploaded to Blackboard for student viewing. External materials such as articles, blogs, videos, or websites may also be posted on Blackboard. As a precaution of accessibility, provide transcripts or notes as an alternative mean for your talk.
Helpful Resources:
Tips for Pre-Recording Video Lectures
Record a PowerPoint Slide Show with Narration
Blackboard Original: Add Files, Images, Audio, and Video
Blackboard Ultra: Add Files, Images, Audio, and Video
Add Panopto to a Blackboard Course
Embed Panopto Video in Blackboard
Assignments
Plan to give an assignment in class rather than postponing it? Move it to Blackboard. You can create an online assignment in Blackboard that will allow students to submit their work online, either by attaching a file or typing directly into a text box. Student submissions are collected in the Grade Center, which makes it easy to keep track of their completion status. For those with student collaboration concerns, use SafeAssign to collect student papers on Blackboard.
Helpful Resources:
Blackboard Original: Create and Edit Blackboard Assignments
Blackboard Original: Use SafeAssign in Blackboard Assignments
Blackboard Ultra: Create and Edit Blackboard Assignments
Blackboard Ultra: Use SafeAssign in Blackboard Assignments
Class Discussions
For a discussion-based class, create an online discussion board on Blackboard. It only takes a minute to do so and your students will have access to it immediately. Then it is a matter of communicating with them, letting them know where the discussion is and what they are expected to do.
If text-based discussion is not sufficient, set up Zoom in your Blackboard class for a virtual synchronous discussion. Keep in mind that not all students may be able to attend. Have an alternate activity for those who cannot join the synchronous discussion.
Helpful Resources:
Blackboard Original: Create Blackboard Discussions
Blackboard Ultra: Create Blackboard Discussions
Creating Effective Online Discussion Prompts
Embedding Zoom into Blackboard for Virtual Classroom or Office Hours
Exams
In case of utmost emergency, you may administer an exam online. This may require you to adjust your exam format bearing in mind that non-proctored online exams are equivalent to take home, open book, open Internet exams. SafeAssign in Blackboard is a useful tool that helps deter plagiarism in student papers. You may set availability date and time to limit student access to the exam.
Use of alternative assessments, also referred to as authentic assessments, are greatly encouraged. After all, assessments are not limited to multiple choice or timed essay tests. For examples and ideas, check out an article from University of Indiana Bloomington.
Helpful Resources:
Blackboard Original: Create and Edit Blackboard Assignments
Blackboard Original: Use SafeAssign in Blackboard Assignments
Blackboard Ultra: Create and Edit Blackboard Assignments
Blackboard Ultra: Use SafeAssign in Blackboard Assignments