Current events have challenged us all to teach in new ways. Classroom teaching will need to include social distancing and be accessible to remote students. Online classes will need to be thoughtfully designed and prepared in ways that were impossible in the move to emergency remote teaching in the Spring of 2020. This guide can help you choose which mode will work best for you and your students, and help you get started.
Course Design Scenarios
In-Person Class with Remote Access | Asynchronous Online Class | Synchronous Online Class
In-Person Class with Remote Access
In-Person Teaching with Remote Access
| Benefits |
Challenges |
- Most similar to usual classroom teaching
- Maintain existing course design/syllabus
- Immediate engagement and interaction with in-person students
|
- Identify ways to include remote students in discussion
- Identify ways to include students from different time zones
|
Checklist
- Identify a TA or rotating undergrad role for facilitation and provide guidance on performing the role
- Work with local classroom IT to test the needed equipment and set-up
- Identify ways for students in different locations to interact with in-person students, such as through Canvas discussion
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Asynchronous Online Class
Online Class taught asynchronously
| Benefits |
Challenges |
- Offers students maximum flexibility in participating on their schedule, especially important for international students who do not return to Ithaca
- Shorter presentations of course material more effective than lengthy timed lectures
|
- Requires substantial course redesign
- Identify ways for for students to engage with faculty and each other
- Need to address accessibility of course materials
|
Checklist
- Present a clear introduction to how the class will proceed and what student responsibilities are
- Provide clear expectations for how much time students will be expected to spend completing course work
- Present clear expectations on how students will interact with you, and how they will interact with each other
- Video-record class materials in advance and share online, in short segments, with captions
- Provide clear ways for students to measure progress towards the course learning goals
- Provide clear guidance on how students can access help for both course and technical questions
- Provide opportunities for students to provide feedback on what is, and what is not, facilitating their learning
- Use Ally (or another tool) to address accessibility issues for course materials
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Synchronous Online Class
Online course taught synchronously
| Benefits |
Challenges |
- Meeting together online can help duplicate the immediacy of the classroom
- Use of tools such as polling and breakout rooms can create active learning opportunities
- Live sessions allows opportunities to monitor student progress and adjust content to better meet student needs
|
- Need to provide opportunities for students in different time zones to engage and participate
- Student complain of “Zoom fatigue,” especially for long sessions
- Students can “check-out” of large Zoom sessions
|
Checklist
- Present a clear introduction to how the class will proceed and what student responsibilities are
- Present clear expectations on how students will interact with you, and how they will interact with each other
- Record Zoom sessions and share online with captions
- Provide clear ways for students to measure progress towards the course learning goals
- Provide clear guidance on how students can access help for both course and technical questions
- Use Ally (or another tool) to address accessibility issues for course materials
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