By now, you’ve probably read through the Fall 2021 Protocols for Instruction, and you may have some questions about how this impacts your teaching. Here are some common questions and our answers:
Q: What constitutes “make up work” if a student must miss a face-to-face class due to quarantine?
A: Make up work might begin with: delivery of content that is roughly equivalent to the in-class modality (e.g. a UD Capture of an in-class lecture, lecture notes and/or slides if they are easily intelligible to a student, notes and a brief zoom-review from another student in the class) and some way to demonstrate comprehension and receive feedback (e.g. a short reflection paper, a brief 1:1 zoom meeting to discuss the session). When determining what is sufficient, review the outcomes of the session(s) missed by the student and consider the amount of time they would have prepared to come to class as well as attend and process the class session.
Q: If many students are required to quarantine and I decide to move a class online for 2 weeks, how should I go about this?
A: First, notify your chair and fill out this form from the registrar. (Don’t forget to notify your students too!) Then, consider having synchronous zoom classes during your regularly scheduled class time. Don’t assume that your face-to-face course will translate well to Zoom without some effort. You might consider:
- Focused breakout rooms where students work together on a task
- Using the chat feature for frequent checks for learning
- Discussion-based teaching practices
- Encouraging students to use the “reactions” features to demonstrate their engagement during a session
Additional ideas and resources are available on the Faculty Commons website, particularly on the “Engage” page.
Q: The thought of making a course contingency plan for this semester is still overwhelming. How can I prepare for the unexpected as the semester continues?
A: Just as it was in the Spring of 2020, focusing on your student learning outcomes and overall course objectives is the best plan forward. Consider what is absolutely essential for student learning, and focus on creating opportunities for engagement with those essential learning items.
If you are concerned about how these protocols impact your teaching, schedule a consultation with CTAL
