College of Education

Keep Teaching

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Keep Teaching - Instructional Continuity

A variety of situations might require instructors to temporarily teach their class remotely (online) with minimal notice: a severe weather event, increased absenteeism during a virus outbreak, a family emergency requiring your presence elsewhere, etc. This guide provides you with actions to take when making that shift quickly, and resources to support the transition.

Key Guidelines

  • Remain in contact with students regularly. Whether via email or Canvas (formerly, Moodle) students must be kept in the loop with updates, instructions, and expectations regarding the course.
  • Revise the course syllabus as needed to accommodate changes, and communicate these changes with students.
  • Any synchronous sessions (such as Zoom) must be held during regularly scheduled class times. 
  • Students may not be asked to pay for additional fees related to course delivery. This includes proctoring service fees.
  • Courses must comply with FERPA. Grades may not be shared via email and only university-approved educational technologies should be utilized. 
  • Use the lowest bandwidth option that meets your instructional needs. Do not use Zoom for classes of greater than 150 students. Only use Zoom for interactive discussions. Use video, audio, or text options for lecture delivery. 
  • If you have students needing disability accommodations, please work with DRES to ensure the accessibility of your online course. 
  • Remember that students may be going through additional stress. Make sure they are aware of the Student Assistance Center and refer any students that are exhibiting concerning behaviors.

What Next? 

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