Situations may arise that might require faculty to temporarily offer some of their class online with minimal notice including a campus closure or absenteeism (faculty or a significant number of students) during illness or emergency. This guide is designed to provide a starting place for making this transition quickly if necessary and to make some recommendations in case faculty would like to anticipate a need and make advance preparations.
Teaching Continuity Guide
Online Teaching Quick Start Guide
To quickly transition a course online in the event of an emergency, consider the following first.
Make early plans:
Do what can be reasonably done in advance of the emergency. Learn about some critical online teaching tools such as Canvas and Zoom by using these tools to do a few things in advance of critical needs. Think through how to respond in an emergency so that instruction may continue when classroom meetings are not possible. Address these plans in your syllabus so students know what will happen if the class meetings are canceled.
Be informed:
Campus closures or emergencies are reported via email and the university website. Faculty may expect to get reliable information in this way including estimates of how long classroom meetings might be suspended. Academic departments may issue more details and guidance about expectations for faculty if a campus or a building closure occurs.
Open communications with students promptly:
Prepare to be able to communicate with students in emergencies. Create lists of names and email addresses shortly after the term begins and let students know where to look for emergency contact about the course. Even without set plans, promptly communicate with students to indicate that changes are coming and to reinforce expectations for checking email or Canvas to know how instruction will continue.
Start small:
Remember students may be learning to adapt to the emergency, too. Adjust assignment deadlines when necessary and reasonable. Use familiar tools first such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Canvas to create instructional materials that can be shared online. Consider a mix of synchronous and asynchronous instruction in the plan. Student engagement will be important and much can be accomplished through email, Zoom, and Canvas to keep students connected to learning.
Review course priorities:
Assess what must be done to continue to meet learning objectives in the course. Consider resequencing the course if classroom meetings will resume in time to complete some activities later.
Be flexible:
Circumstances may continue to evolve for the course and the students. Even plan B may eventually require a plan C. Remain flexible and understanding of the potentially complex needs of students to respond to changes in the course and to the underlying emergency. Also, plan to ask for help. Online and Extended Programs will remain available to assist: distanceed@txstate.edu or 512-245-2322. Take a look at the Remote Teaching and Collaborating Resources for Faculty site posted by the Division of Information Technology at Texas State.
Online Teaching Strategies
Quickly developing learning materials for online teaching will benefit from applying some strategy.
Identify familiar tools:
Use familiar tools first such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Canvas to create instructional materials that can be shared online. PowerPoint may include narration and recording lecture materials on a set of slides that may be easily learned. Zoom (the university's recommended and free-to-use desktop videoconferencing software) will also allow easy recording of lecture materials and features a whiteboard. Both tools require access to a computer equipped with a microphone.
Determine synchronous and asynchronous activities:
A tool such as Zoom can provide an opportunity to meet with students synchronously through desktop videoconferencing. Zoom even allows students without home computers or access to strong Internet connections to join meetings by phone or mobile device. As noted above, Zoom may also be used to create video recordings for students to access asynchronously. Canvas provides an excellent platform for storing and providing student access to other asynchronous learning materials such as documents and recorded video and audio. Use a mix of synchronous and asynchronous materials to provide maximum flexibility for instruction and availability of learning to students.
Online Teaching Resources
Instructional Design Consultation for Remote Teaching
Our team of instructional designers and course developers is available for one-on-one consultations to help you with your remote teaching questions. Use our Consultation Bookings Tool to schedule a meeting time convenient for you. Meetings are held virtually.
Mini-Lecture Recording Sessions
For those faculty who might like assistance recording a mini-lecture for an upcoming remote class section. Depending on demand, we may schedule more times and dates.
Faculty do not need to travel to campus to have help getting a mini-lecture recorded. The sessions do require that you have access to a stable Internet connection and a desktop or laptop computer with a webcam and microphone attached. In addition to getting the recording done, you will learn how to do it yourself whenever you wish.
The sessions will last only 45 minutes. Please plan to make the most of the time by having a presentation or good notes prepared.
Departmental Consultation
To request a consultation at the departmental level in continuity planning for the delivery of instruction online, please contact Online and Extended Programs at distanceed@txstate.edu or by calling 512-245-2322.
IT Assistance Center
Technical support for many online tools is available through the Information Technology Assistance Center (ITAC). And take a look at the Remote Teaching and Collaborating Resources for Faculty website created by the Division of Information Technology.