This site is designed to support you in planning manageable ways to adjust your teaching and support for students’ learning in the event of various kinds of course interruptions. Instructors are not expected to teach online and in person, concurrently. This site focuses on being prepared for short term changes to an in-person class.
How do I plan for any term unpredictability?
Create an online presence for your course from the beginning
The most proactive step you can take is to create a fully developed Brightspace site and open this site for students in the days ahead of their in-person class. This will provide the foundation that will allow you to adapt as needed. Instructors may supplement their in-person delivery of courses with online or virtual elements (such as holding virtual office hours, conducting online quizzes, or posting recorded content).
Communicate expectations and accessibility options proactively to students throughout the term.
Be clear about what students should do if they are absent from class.
Specifically address the following:
- How students should notify instructor(s) if they are ill (absent) or must self-isolate
- How notes and course materials will be made accessible to students who cannot attend (e.g. posted powerpoint, virtual office hours, class-recordings etc.). While recording lectures is not required, recording lectures provides another option to support student absences and students find such recordings beneficial.
- What students will be required to do if self-isolation overlaps with assessments (ie. will assessments be available online). Online assessments are not required and may be a viable option.
- When and how students will be notified if the course or course components need to be delivered online
What are the scenarios that you might need to consider for resumption of in-person classes?
Click on scenario for some suggestions
Scenario 1
Some students are unable to attend in person
As per usual pre-COVID-19 policies
Scenario 3
Scenario 1
Some students are unable to attend in person
As per usual pre-COVID-19 policies
Most students are attending class in person with a small number that need access for short-term absences, such as the need to self-isolate.
Student communications
- Notify students in advance about how to communicate absences and the need to self-isolate
- Communicate with impacted students through email as necessary
- Encourage students to share notes with one another, provide absent students with powerpoints or other digital materials as necessary
Office hours
- Provide an office hours alternative using Zoom and direct students on how to access
Capture and share video
- Schedule and record the in-person session using Echo360 (in enabled classrooms). Students who are unable to attend can view later.
- Post pre-recorded video content if available. Please make sure the video doesn’t include students (unless consent was obtained).
Interactive elements
- Create an informal online space where students can connect with each other, such as a discussion forum or a Teams channel
Assessments
- Have students submit electronically via Brightspace
Attendance and academic concessions
- Although attendance is important, instructors are encouraged where possible to provide flexibility. If illness, accident, or family affliction causes a student to miss the final exam or to fail to complete any assignment by the end of the term, the student must submit a Request for Academic Concession.
- Policies regarding undergraduate student academic concessions and deferrals are also detailed on the Undergraduate Records site. For graduate students, complete the Graduate Academic Concession Form and submit it to your graduate secretary.
Scenario 2
Substantial numbers of students are temporarily unable to attend in person
Some students are participating as planned (in-person) with a substantial number of students needing access for short-term absences (ie. need to self isolate)
Instructors are expected to keep their chair/director apprised of situations where high volumes of students are absent and where the instructor is now using alternative modes of course delivery.
Student communications
- Notify students in advance about how to communicate absences and the need to self-isolate
- Communicate with impacted students through email as necessary
- Encourage students to share notes with one another, provide absent students with powerpoints or other digital materials as necessary
Office hours
- Provide an alternative office hours using Zoom and direct students on how to access
Capture and share video
- Schedule and record the in-person session using Echo360 (in enabled classrooms). Students who are unable to attend can view later.
- Alternatively, livestream your course session on the resident computer using Echo360 or Zoom (in enabled classrooms). However, participation for online students is limited and it is important to follow the livestream guidelines to ensure reliability.
- Post pre-recorded video content if available (from previous course offerings or other external sources). Please make sure the video doesn’t include students (unless consent was obtained).
Interactive elements
- Provide avenues for online participation in class such as: Echo360 polls and Q&A, Zoom chat
- Brightspace discussion forums and Teams channels may also be helpful
- Use TA resources to support online student participation
Assessments
- Move assessments online with available supports, if possible
Attendance and academic concessions
- Although attendance is important, instructors are encouraged where possible to provide flexibility. If illness, accident, or family affliction causes a student to miss the final exam or to fail to complete any assignment by the end of the term, the student must submit a Request for Academic Concession.
- Policies regarding undergraduate student academic concessions and deferrals are also detailed on the Undergraduate Records site. For graduate students, complete the Graduate Academic Concession Form and submit it to your graduate secretary.
Scenario 3
I cannot teach in person due to illness, self-isolation or extraordinary family care circumstances
If an instructor is unable to teach in-person they are required to notify their chair/director.
Course delivery options
- If the course has a TA assigned, the TA may be able to deliver the course for a short period
- For longer periods, a sessional instructor or colleague could deliver the course content
- In instances where an instructor is absent but not sick, the instructor may offer the course online with chair/director approval. In this circumstance, the following strategies may apply.
Important note:
Current technologies do not support instructors to teach students in the classroom from a remote location because instructors are unable to see students or effectively respond. Therefore, it is NOT advisable for instructors to create a Zoom session where they are remote and students are physically present.
Student communications
- Update impacted students by making announcements in Brightspace
- Communicate with students regarding any alternate plans for course delivery (eg. TA, sessional, online)
Office hours
- Schedule office time using Zoom and direct students to explanations of how to use
Capture and share video
- Reuse content previously created or record before class and then post in Brightspace for everyone to view
- Post pre-recorded video content if available (from previous course offerings or other external sources). Please make sure the video doesn’t include students (unless consent was obtained).
- With Chair/Director permission, teach the class online via Zoom, if you are still able to work.
Interactive elements
- If online, provide avenues for remote participation in class such as: Echo360 polls and Q&A, Zoom chat
- Brightspace discussion forums and Teams channels may also be helpful
- Use TA resources to support online student participation as necessary
Assessments
- Consider learning technologies available and choose the one right for your type of assessment
- Move assessments online with available supports, if possible
Attendance and academic concessions
- Although attendance is important, instructors are encouraged where possible to provide flexibility. If illness, accident, or family affliction causes a student to miss the final exam or to fail to complete any assignment by the end of the term, the student must submit a Request for Academic Concession.
- Policies regarding undergraduate student academic concessions and deferrals are also detailed on the Undergraduate Records site. For graduate students, complete the Graduate Academic Concession Form and submit it to your graduate secretary.
Scenario 4
Due to absences, a course cannot be effectively delivered in person
In this instance, instructors are required to consult and receive guidance from their chair/director. Instructors will need to have the appropriate approvals in place before pivoting to online.
Starting the Term
- From the start, let students know how you expect them to participate and how to navigate your course and what to do if they are not able to attend.
- Activate your site at least a few days before the first class to allow students to read the syllabus
- Include technology requirements for the course in your syllabus.
- Send a Brightspace Course Announcement (or email) during the week before class letting students know what to expect
- Create a welcome video, use Zoom or Echo360 to record an explanation of the syllabus and a tour of your Brightspace site
Student communications
- Keep students updated about developments and changes weekly
- Communicate changes to students by making announcement in Brightspace
- Indicate whether the next class will be synchronous, asynchronous, or both
- Provide links to synchronous online sessions (eg. Zoom)
Office hours
- Schedule office time using Zoom and direct students to explanations of how to use
- Use a scheduling tool to allow students to sign up for in-person or remote
Capture and share content
- Record video tutorials and synchronous class sessions Echo360 or Zoom
- Share videos in Brightspace
- Reuse pre-recorded video or content if available (from previous course offerings or other external sources). Please make sure the video doesn’t include students (unless consent was obtained).
Interactive elements
- Use polls and interactive questions in your classes / videos with Echo360
- Provide avenues for synchronous class discussion in Echo360 Q&A, Zoom or Teams
- Provide space for asynchronous Q&A and discussion in Brightspace discussion
- Use TA resources to support online student participation as necessary
Assessments
- Consider learning technologies available and choose the one right for your type of assessment, this may include online exams in Brightspace or Crowdmark or alternative forms of online assessment
- Move assessments online with available supports, if possible
Attendance and academic concessions
- Although attendance is important, instructors are encouraged where possible to provide flexibility. If illness, accident, or family affliction causes a student to miss the final exam or to fail to complete any assignment by the end of the term, the student must submit a Request for Academic Concession.
- Policies regarding undergraduate student academic concessions and deferrals are also detailed on the Undergraduate Records site. For graduate students, complete the Graduate Academic Concession Form and submit it to your graduate secretary.
Remember: In all of these cases, building flexibility into your course from the start will make it easier to adjust your courses when necessary.
This post has been modified from University of Saskatchewan “Creating a COVID-19 Contingency Plan for Potential In-Person Course Interruption“. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
