Instructions:

Academic disruptions may occur for a wide variety of reasons such as severe weather events, unsafe conditions on campus, public health emergencies, and other circumstances.  When classroom instruction is interrupted, faculty may need to use alternative methods and tools to continue class activities at a distance. 

Learning Design and Technology can assist with many aspects contact us with your needs:  HERE

We understand that not all courses are fully appropriate for distance learning modalities.  Due to this, faculty may need to construct alternative ways to achieve the learning objectives of the course.

Some core class activities will need to continue during a disruption:

• Communicating with students.  Communicate your plan with your students through myCourses. The easiest way to email the whole class is to create and send email through myCourses. You can either email the whole class or email individual student.

• Delivering course content

• Encouraging student participation: answering questions, discussion, group work, etc.

• Administering assignments, tests, and grades

Technologies for Teaching at a Distance

USNH IT supports many different technologies which can be utilized in order to continue teaching for the duration of any academic disruption.  The keys to success are preparing and remaining flexible. 

Prepare for a Disruption

• Familiarize yourself with the available technology tools and how they may be used during a disruption.

• https://www.unh.edu/teaching-learning-resource-hub/

• Access and install these technologies at home: Outlook/Exchange email, myCourses, Zoom, and Kaltura Capture.  

• Have a backup of your teaching materials that you can access from home.  This includes your syllabus, lecture files, class plans and notes, assignments with instructions, exams and quizzes, and grades. Box is a great way of backing up your files!

• Attend a Teaching & Learning Technology training course for technologies you are unfamiliar with.

• Consider how your class would change if you had to teach at a distance: 

  • How will you communicate with students?

  • Will you hold a Zoom web conference during regular class time or record an asynchronous lecture with Kaltura Capture?
  • Which in-class activities may need to change? 
  • What alternatives exist to those assignments that may be impossible to complete such as laboratory assignments?  
• Keep a copy of important contacts (names, emails, and phone numbers) in your department and across the University.

During a Disruption

• Use clear & routine communication to students about your expectations & what you will do during the disruption.  Include specific actions, timelines, and instructions to access online course material until normal operating procedures resume.

• Be prepared to adjust your syllabus.  If needed, be prepared to construct alternative instructional activities to achieve course learning objectives.  Can course material be condensed and prioritized in the event that teaching time is lost?

• Be aware of students with disabilities and those who have English as a non-native language.  These students may need extra assistance.

• Don't assume all your students will have Internet access.  There may be power or service outages. Have alternative options for students who may have technological or other issues.

Outcome:

Users should be able to successfully teach during academic disruptions.

Further reading:

• Zoom: Teaching Online with Zoom
• Zoom Learning Center
• Kaltura Capture: Overview
• Kaltura: An Overview
• Teaching and Learning Technologies

Need additional help?

Please use this link to the Technology Help Desk to locate your local campus contact information.