Keep on Teaching
Sometimes the unexpected happens. When it does, VCU will be prepared to keep on teaching and keep on learning. Were we to have a blizzard or some other surprise event, no doubt we will eventually experience a moment where all in-person academic meetings will need to transition to a remote format. If all or part of VCU instructional locations become unavailable or need to be closed, academic continuity can maintain course progression.
Student Support
Faculty or staff who know of a student needing assistance and who was not able to find an answer from the Keep Learning resources are encouraged to submit the form below (You will need to be logged into your VCU Google account.):
Refer a student for additional support“What I wish my VCU instructor knew . . .”
Here are some tips for starting a student-success focused spring.
Send out an email to your students via Navigate to:
- Introduce yourself and encourage students to contact you. Students want to feel connected to VCU, their faculty and their classmates. Clearly indicate how students can contact or meet with you, and encourage them to use the Study Buddy feature in Navigate to connect with their classmates.
- Let students know how and when to log into your class. Provide them with instructions on how to change Canvas or Blackboard course notification settings to ensure that they always receive your emails and provide clear instructions for how to access your course in Canvas or Blackboard. Consider sending this first class email via Navigate to ensure students receive it if they haven’t updated their LMS settings yet.
- Email a copy of the syllabus several times before the last day to drop a class.Students can add into your class up until 11:59 pm on Monday, Feb. 1, and can drop the course up until 11:59 pm on Monday, Feb. 8. In your syllabus, be explicit about your expectations for class attendance and participation, provide detailed information on how the course functions, and make sure that assignments and due dates are clearly defined and accessible to students.
- Remind them often that Reading Days are rest days.No classes or exams are held on February 23 or March 24 (except for some clinical and field placements, practica, co-ops, internships and other work-related experiential learning activities). Model wellness by sharing how you will relax on these days and encourage students to do the same.
During class this week and next:
- Take a few minutes to show students how the course is organized. While reviewing your syllabus, take students through your Canvas or Blackboard site, clearly highlighting where students can find the syllabus and due dates for assignments, where they will submit assignments and review their grades, how to log into Packback or other tools. Consider recording this session and emailing it out to the class or posting to your LMS.
- Hold “student hours” not office hours. We continue to hear from students that they find it difficult to approach their professor. By renaming your office hours to “student hours,” you emphasize that that time is dedicated to answering student questions. You can use Google Appointment Slots to let students sign up for a virtual meeting with you.
- Help students manage their time. Students let us know that they struggled with balancing assignments, work, family and other commitments, especially in asynchronous classes. Encourage them to use their Google Calendar or these resources to stay on track of their work.
- Encourage students to use free tutoring, writing support, supplemental instruction and academic coaching. Even the most successful student could use a little extra help during this pandemic!
As the semester progresses:
- Submit Progress Reports between Feb. 8-28.Before submitting Progress Reports, make an announcement in class stating why you are submitting them (e.g., VCU is here to help!), how you determined who should receive one (e.g., Students who miss more than 3 classes tend to fail this course), and what steps they should take upon receiving one (e.g., Come see me during student hours, review chapters 4-6, or take advantage of the Campus Learning Center).
- Be flexible with attendance and requiring students to be on-camera. Students let us know that pandemic life, camera anxiety, and Zoom fatigue are real! Be compassionate when “things come up” and students can’t attend class or need an extension on an assignment. To encourage on-camera participation, ask students to find and use backgrounds related to your course topic that day, and use these to get the class talking.
- REQUIRED: Submit Midterm Grades by Friday, March 19th to provide critical feedback to students (and advisors) on their grades as we approach the end of the semester. When submitting, remind students of your grading rubric and remaining assignments, and encourage them to take advantage of resources to improve their performance over the next 5 weeks.
- Help students de-stress by connecting them to wellness and mental health resources. Create a culture of care by encouraging students to build resilience by attending events at The Well or making an appointment with University Counseling Services. Students can also take advantage of tele-mental health and ADHD services at University Student Health.
What do you wish your students knew in order to have a successful learning experience and outcome?
It’s fair to say that the last couple of semesters have been a learning experience for us all. We want to help our students better understand how they can make the most of their learning experiences.
If there is something you would like your students to know, please fill out the form below, which includes one simple prompt - “I wish my VCU students knew ____.”
What I wish my VCU students knewWe will share the collection of your wishes with students on the Keep on Learning website. This will provide students with faculty perspectives that promote their academic success this semester.
Technical Support
The IT Support Center provides support for hardware (i.e. laptops, etc.) and other enterprise services (i.e. Google Docs, VPN, forms, etc.)
ITSC@vcu.edu or (804) 828-2227
Instructional Support
Open office hours are via Zoom every Tuesday-Friday from 12:00-2:00PM.
If you need help outside those hours please complete this short form for other support from ALT Lab/Online@VCU.
General Information
Please share these Keep Learning student support resources with your students.
The Goal = Academic Continuity
This toolkit was developed to provide faculty with options to keep teaching and for faculty to consider providing options for students to support them as they keep learning. The tips, strategies, tools, and resources below are not intended to be a comprehensive lesson in online course pedagogy. The core purpose is to support faculty with a rapid transition to remote instruction that will promote course completion. As outlined below, VCU aims to approach all aspects of academic continuity with flexibility, care, compassion, kindness, creativity, and positivity.
General Principles
Be proactive- As you prepare for change, a proactive approach before the urgent need arises is always the preferred approach. Nothing beats getting prepared in advance for any unexpected situation that may require in-person courses and other academic work to be rapidly converted to a remote or online format. The more you prepare in advance, the easier the transition.
Prioritize care, compassion, kindness- Some of your students may need to miss class, find alternate ways to submit assignments depending on their technology/wifi access, or request an extension for an assignment/exam. Knowing that you care about them and their success may make all the difference in their motivation, persistence, and ultimate success in course completion.
Stay calm- Students look to you for leadership. If students see that you are calm and that you are assuring them everything will be ok with the course, that will go a long way to keep them positive and engaged. You set the tone for helping your students stay calm.
Keep it simple- Please do not expect to launch a fully online course that would typically take 18 months to develop. Choose tools that are already in use by both you and the students.You do not need all the bells and whistles to be effective. Keep it simple and choose technology tools that will support your particular learning goals and needs.
Practice pedagogical flexibility- In times of rapid transition to remote teaching, flexibility goes a long way. Pedagogical flexibility allows us to get creative with assignment design, exam format, options for students such as choosing from a list of projects, interactive discussions, avenues for student submission of their work, etc. At its core, teaching is a creative process.
Support our student community- keep in mind under-served and marginalized students may experience disproportionate stressors including lack of resources or need for an accessible format. Your support and flexibility can make all the difference in student success.
Seek support from colleagues- We encourage faculty to stay in communication with colleagues both in your own department and also across the university for ideas on how best to transition to remote teaching. There are likely some discipline-specific needs that may be solved with creativity in brainstorming with faculty teaching similar content.
Getting Started & Key Tips
- Be proactive, create a virtual plan now. The good news is the more we prepare, the better the transition will go.
- Remind your students that all communications go through VCU email. We recommend announcing this in every single class meeting and through any virtual communication you have with students (Blackboard/Canvas, email, etc.).
- Make sure you have a way to contact all of your students (e.g., accurate email address).
- Take stock of learning goals and stay flexible:
- Review your learning outcomes. What do you want your students to know and be able to do when they complete your course? Are there any adjustments that can be made while still meeting those goals?
- Review your syllabus to establish your immediate needs.
- What needs to be changed to work online? (content, interactions, assessments, etc.)
- Think long term- what changes need to be made to major projects that were assigned before you had to transition your course?
- Flexibility: As mentioned above, think about how can you stay flexible in your teaching strategy? For example, perhaps a course project requiring students to attend events or visit public galleries or museums gets converted to a remote project using online museum archives.
- Keep accessibility needs in mind as you plan for a remote teaching and learning environment. For students with documentation, you will already know what accommodations are needed for your course. But you may need to look over documentation again and think about how this translates to remote teaching and learning. For example, extra time on quizzes and exams will require instructor planning for online delivery.
- Get your tech needs in order:
- We suggest hosting at least one face to face class using a remote format to give yourself a chance to think through your approach, the student experience, and possible tech needs. This test run usually brings relevant tech and even non-technical issues to the forefront. By facilitating one remote format class meeting, both faculty and your students will be better equipped to adjust for a rapid transition should that situation arise.
- Equipment- Do you have a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet device for use at home? Does your wifi work well at home? Perhaps you need to order a webcam and/or microphone headset now?
- Set up systems that support your rapid transition to Keep on Teaching:
- For some types of work, like if you are working in an application or service that can only be accessed on-campus, you might need to use the Virtual Private Network (VPN). Utilizing the VPN allows a user to appear as if they are logging in from within VCU's network. Two-factor authentication, Duo, is required for the use of the virtual private network (VPN). Currently VPN sessions will time out after 48 hours, at which point you will need to reinstate the connection.
If you are accessing tools such as Zoom, Kaltura, Google G Suite (Gmail, Docs, Drive, etc.), submitting or managing tickets in Cherwell, a VPN connection is not required. We would like to reserve the VPN service only for people accessing applications that require it.
This page contains additional information about VCU's VPN. - Tools- You may want to set up your Zoom account (you have access to Zoom Pro as a VCU employee) or check out Google tools you may use to Keep on Teaching. (see below for tools)
- For some types of work, like if you are working in an application or service that can only be accessed on-campus, you might need to use the Virtual Private Network (VPN). Utilizing the VPN allows a user to appear as if they are logging in from within VCU's network. Two-factor authentication, Duo, is required for the use of the virtual private network (VPN). Currently VPN sessions will time out after 48 hours, at which point you will need to reinstate the connection.
- Talk Early, Talk Often
- Communicate with your students.
- Students will likely face some confusion and uncertainty as courses rapidly transition to remote format.
- Be clear about your new expectations. Sometimes we think our expectations are clear, but students are not so certain.
- Be clear about where and when things will occur. Predictability and clarity on due dates, sticking to the previous plan when possible, will help students succeed.
- Help students understand what they’ll need to do to succeed and what resources they’ll need.
- Communicate with your students.
- Maintain your course schedule
- Sticking to the course schedules provides you and the students with a predictable map for where you are headed. Students will need to maintain as much structure as possible so that they do not get behind in courses that used to meet in person.
What are you trying to do online?
Communicate with Students
Communicate frequently and concisely, especially when you first move the class online. If you already have an established pattern and place for communication, continue using it. If not, establishing a consistent pattern and place for communication with students will help students gain comfort and prevent confusion.
Blackboard/Canvas Announcements
Description
When you make an announcement in Blackboard/Canvas, you can also send it as an email to the students in your course. This gives students the benefit of an email alert and a place to reference all announcements they cannot be accidentally deleted or lost.
Details
- Blackboard/Canvas takes care of the email list.
- Announcements can be created automatically for various Blackboard/Canvas content types.
Description
Email may be the place you feel most comfortable. Consider building a mailing list per class to help manage your student addresses. Larger classes will need a Google Group to avoid being flagged as spam. Additional information on getting students emails, creating email lists, and general email productivity tips can be found under resources.
Details
- Keep all communications with students on your official VCU email address.
- All VCU students have @mymail.vcu email addresses.
- Faculty members and students have unlimited storage space in Gmail.
- Adding large lists to a bcc field rather than using a Google group may be flagged as spam.
Google Drive
Description
Google Drive is the VCU-supported file management option outside Blackboard/Canvas. It can hold content created with Google Apps in addition to any file you choose to upload. It’s a good choice if you need to collaboratively edit, comment on work, or share very large files.
Details
- Unlimited storage
- Files up to 5TB in size
Lecture and Video Capture
When thinking about lecture options it is important to realize that live video is more challenging than recording video ahead of time. Allowing students to access content on their schedule also has advantages. Consider saving live interactions for when you want back-and-forth dialog with students. Keeping asynchronous videos short (6-10 minutes) will help increase viewing completion and reduce technical issues. See VCU Best Practices for Teaching Remotely with Zoom for additional suggestions and FERPA details.
Zoom Pro
Description
Zoom is a good option for live video and audio conferencing, collaboration, and chat across mobile devices, desktops, and telephones.
Details
- Host up to 300 participants
- Integrated polling, group chats, and more
Kaltura Capture
Description
Kaltura Capture lets you record and publish videos and screencasts. These videos can then easily be shared with students for viewing as their schedule allows.
Details
- Only video/screen recording, no live interaction
- You will need to install the Kaltura Capture Desktop Recorder.
Google Meet
Description
Hangouts Meet is a video meeting option from Google that makes scheduling and joining a meeting easier. Whether you’re using a computer, an Android, or iOS device, you can access meetings in one place.
Details
- Supports up to 250 participants
- Unlimited 1:1 meetings
Create Your Own Content
When creating content online, it is important to consider the accessibility of the material and the mobile-friendliness of the format. Stick with tools you’re familiar with initially but don’t be afraid to try new options as your needs change and things settle down.
Google Suite
Description
The Google Suite is a set of free tools closely aligned to Microsoft’s Office suite. These tools offer increased flexibility for viewing across devices and provide increased options for online collaboration.
Details
- Unlimited storage for faculty
- Content works well on laptops and phones
- Content can be embedded in other systems (like Blackboard or Canvas)
Resources
Microsoft Office
Description
The familiar collection of office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Be aware that Publisher and Access have no direct counterparts on Macs or with Google Apps so accessing those file types may create problems for some students.
Details
- Microsoft Office is available for free for current students, and for jQuery14.99 for faculty, and staff via the VCU Microsoft Office 365 portal
Resources
Assess Students
In a situation where students are not able to come to campus or go to testing centers the VCU honor pledge becomes of paramount importance. There are no simple solutions if you were planning on most of your assessments being proctored, in-person multiple choice tests. Quizzes and other mechanically graded options could provide formative assessment data with projects or other more individualized work playing a larger role in summative assessments. That is a difficult shift to make and more complex with larger enrollments.
Best Practices for Promoting Academic Honesty in Online Exams provides suggestions and guidance to promote a culture of honesty, consider alternate exam designs, prepare students, and plan for exam delivery.
SCHEV has also come out with guidance around proctored exams.
Respondus Lockdown Browser
Description
Students using Respondus are unable to print, copy, visit other websites, access other applications, or close a quiz until it is submitted for grading. Requires Blackboard or Canvas usage.
Details
- Students must install the Respondus browser
- Faculty must activate a Respondus assessment via Blackboard or Canvas
- Blackboard and Canvas have non-Respondus assessment options as well
Resources
Google Form Quizzes
Description
This Google tool creates a simple, mobile-friendly form that can be accessed through a web browser or embedded in an email. The ability to embed the form directly into email can make it very easy for students to engage with and use.
Details
- This tool is useful as a way to check-in with students’ progress, peer/self assessment, and to gather information or feedback from the class.
- This tool does not have a locked browser feature, however, it can still be a useful form of assessment to chart progress or reflect understanding.
Labs, Studios, and Other Project-Based Work
Some opportunities won’t be present in student homes. Labs, clinical placements, art courses, and other site-specific or hardware/software-specific activities will require flexibility and creativity. Parity may not be possible, focusing on the learning objective will help.
Given how individualized this work can be we are available to help think through different options.
Support
Reporting positive COVID-19 cases
If a VCU student or employee tests positive for COVID-19, please report it directly to University Student Health or Employee Health. University Student Health or Employee Health will ensure that appropriate state and local health care authorities are provided necessary information and that personal privacy considerations are respected. VCU will follow notification procedures recommended by these authorities.
- Students: Report positive student cases of COVID-19 infection to University Student Health Services at (804) 828-8828.
- Employees: Report positive employee cases of COVID-19 infection to VCU Employee Health at (804) 828-0584.
Teaching and Learning Support
- The Academic Learning Transformation (ALT) Lab provides assistance with online course design, web creation, and media production
- The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence
- Self-Paced Courses
VCU Libraries
- VCU Libraries Operations for COVID-19. This page provides a high-level overview of all library operations related to the university's COVID-19 response, linking out to other content as necessary.
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Request Library Instruction: If your class requires library instruction, librarians at Cabell and Tompkins-McCaw Libraries can meet your needs in a variety of ways. As a result of the pandemic, library instruction will be offered remotely unless there is a compelling reason for in-person delivery. Librarians are able to deliver instruction in a variety of synchronous or asynchronous formats.
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Online and in-person help: VCU Libraries is here to support you and your students’ research needs and answer questions about our services, spaces or collections.
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Access to libraries resources: While the libraries are open, they continue to support access to many resources online or through pickup and delivery services to accommodate remote and off-campus access.
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Open and affordable course content: VCU Libraries Open and Affordable Course Content Initiative supports instructors as they work to transition their courses to zero textbook cost courses, using either library content or open educational resources, much of which is online and appropriate for remote instruction.
Technical Support
- IT Support (email, phone)
- Help Tickets
- VCU Blackboard Resources
If you can not find the answer to your questions from the Blackboard Help links on this page, please email blackboard@vcu.edu; contact the IT Support Center. A support staff member will then contact you as soon as possible.
Academic Support for Students:
- Tutoring: Tutoring services will continue to be offered but in a Zoom format. Students will be sent a zoom link by their tutor to join the session. Students will be given information about their sessions via email beforehand.
- Academic coaching: The Campus Learning Center will continue to provide academic coaching via Zoom. Jumpstart sessions will also be continued via Zoom. Students will be sent a zoom link by their coach to join the session.
Laptops:
- Faculty and students who need a loaner laptop should reach out to the IT Support Center directly by calling 804-828-2227 or via email at itsc@vcu.edu to request a loaner laptop.
- If you need to purchase a laptop, computer, tablet, microphone or webcam - consider RAM Tech (VCU discounts and payroll deduction) or a reputable retailer. Most laptops now have integrated webcams and wireless headphones usually have integrated microphones in them, which can be used for remote teaching and learning.
Internet Access Options
Wifi/internet access: employees and students can add “hot spots” to their wireless cellphone plans or access VCU SafeNet while being in your car in/around the VCU campuses.
A number of companies are offering both reduced cost and increased bandwidth options.
- FCC agreement stating that providers will waive late fees, not cutoff service for lack of payment, and open hot-spots
- Comcast - free 60 days for new families and $9.95 a month
- Internet Essentials - $9.95 a month with no contract
- Charter Free Internet offer for 2 months.AT&T COVID-19 response: offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and $10/month plans to low income families.
- Verizon COVID-19 response: no special offers, but following the FCC agreement.
- Sprint COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, provides unlimited data to existing customers, and, starting Tuesday, 3/17/2020, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (I expect others will follow).
- T-Mobile COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, plus unlimited data to existing customers, and, coming soon, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (I expect others will follow).
Student Accommodations
We are all moving forward into uncharted territory. For students with approved accommodations, there may be some changes to how these are implemented. This will become a collaborative process between you, the student, and, if needed, the Office of Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (for programs on the Monroe Park Campus) or the Division for Academic Success (for programs in Health Science programs). For those students who have accommodations in place, start a conversation as soon as possible to discuss how they will translate to a remote/online format. SAEO (saeo@vcu.edu) and DAS (acadsuccess@vcu.edu) are here to help with this process.
Accessibility
Online delivery of materials presents a whole new array of potential barriers. Please make every effort to select videos or content that are captioned or include transcripts. If you would like additional information about how to select or create accessible online materials, please contact SAEO or DAS.
Here's a video for Quick & Dirty Tips for Online Teaching: Accessibility.
Policies:
- Computer & Network Resources Use
- Student Code of Conduct
- VCU Honor Code
- Attendance
- Medical Leave of Absence (undergraduate students) and Leave of Absence (Graduate and Professional students only)
Community Engagement
While we aren't engaging face-to-face at this time there are still ways to keep working with, and for, our communities.
Privacy and FERPA Compliance Online
Expectations for student privacy are the same for online and face-to-face classes. As you explore more tools to interact with and provide feedback to your students, you may wonder if you are maintaining privacy for protected student data. As a general rule, rely on university supported tools and understand that grades and other forms of feedback should be transmitted within a dual authenticated system (like the BlackBoard or Canvas LMS) to ensure FERPA compliance. As you select tools to mediate instructional activities, consider if a similar level of privacy can be maintained that students would expect in a classroom environment.
You can explore FERPA policy and what is protected student information here.
Statement from VCU’s Inclusive Excellence:
Virginia Commonwealth University remains committed to promoting a culture of inclusion for all its employees, patients and students. Discrimination or discriminatory harassment is unlawful. It is also harmful to the well-being of our university community. We are aware of the news reports regarding bullying, harassment and stereotyping of Chinese Americans and persons of Asian descent in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19). There is no place for this sort of behavior, especially not at VCU. Our university values, specifically those related to diversity and inclusion, have withstood many difficult situations and trying times, and they will not falter now. Please be assured that VCU will make every effort to prevent the occurrence of unlawful discrimination and, if necessary, take prompt and appropriate action to remedy and prevent its re-occurrence. Every member of our community is asked to:
- Become familiar with the university’s policy on preventing and responding to discrimination in the VCU Policy Library.
- Consult with Equity and Access Services or VCU Human Resources for additional guidance on how to maintain a bias-free environment.
- Encourage individuals affected by this type of misconduct to file a report of discrimination or harassment with Equity and Access Services.
- Bookmark and share information on university or community agencies that offer support or services, such as VCU Counseling Services.
- Offer nonjudgmental support and empathy to those affected.
Keep Teaching by VCU Academic Continuity Committee is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.