Accessibility Options:
Broward College Academic Continuity Plan in Response to COVID-19
As a part of Broward College's Academic Continuity plan, the points below provide faculty general guidance and recommendations to ensure that the College sustains its academic mission through this response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
This college-wide transition from traditional face-to-face instruction to a remote learning environment will require a broad collaborative effort from faculty and staff. The massive scope of this change requires all of us to work together to make sure we are doing our very best in maintaining academic continuity for our students. This challenge is further complicated by the fact that nearly all of our faculty and staff will be working remotely. It is critical that faculty and staff ensure that their communication via email, D2L, phone, or other means is regular, timely, and substantive. Being intentionally communicative is the most crucial element in creating an effective remote learning environment.
Decide on what mode(s) of delivery will best suit you and your students: asynchronous, synchronous, or a mix of both.
Asynchronous delivery means that you and your students will access content and contribute to online discussions at different times. This is the type of online learning that typically happens in D2L in online courses. Synchronous delivery means that students will be required to participate online during the specific time when the class would regularly meet. Blackboard Collaborate is a live conferencing tool within D2L that faculty and student can use to meet synchronously in real-time. Faculty should design a course experience that best fits the content and learning outcomes of the course. Faculty are encouraged to use a blend of Asynchronous and Synchronous delivery to help students meet the learning outcomes of the course.
Asynchronous Delivery
Instructors have a variety of options when it comes to sharing course materials asynchronously. In D2L, you can distribute content through modules, use asynchronous discussion forums, and post pre-recorded video files.
Lecture materials can be easily created by typing what you would normally say into the notes section of a PowerPoint and export the file as a PDF; alternatively, you can record a voice-over narration and export the file as a video. Post these lectures in a conspicuous place in the modules area of your course Home page. Keep in mind that bullet points alone are usually not enough to communicate your ideas effectively as an asynchronous lecture.
Discussions are most effective when they are scaffolded. In this way, students have one deadline to post and a second deadline to respond to other students' posts; often, these deadlines are two or more days apart.
Synchronous Delivery
Host synchronous sessions using Blackboard Collaborate during regularly scheduled meeting times. Blackboard Collaborate is a tool available in D2L. Both faculty and students can share audio, video, text, and documents through this campus-supported tool, which means that you can still give a lecture on course content and facilitate small-group and large-group discussions.
Students should not be expected to take part in synchronous discussions outside of already assigned class meeting times. If you are concerned that some of your students will face barriers in the synchronous format, including students who need an accommodation that is documented by the Accessibility Resource Center, try facilitating asynchronous discussions instead. Importantly, the synchronous feature of Blackboard Collaborate will allow you to record the session so students can review these live discussions and lectures.
Participate in College Training and Leverage Available Resources
Broward College's Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning provides a variety of training options and resources to help support active learning through the selection and use of digital technologies, including D2L, Blackboard Collaborate, and academic integrity tools, including Turnitin, Respondus 4.0 LockDown Browser, and others.
What should faculty do during normally scheduled class time?
Faculty should be online, making themselves readily available to students during their normally scheduled class times. This can range from an open Skype meeting to rapid response to emails and phone calls from students. Faculty can be working synchronously or asynchronously to deliver remote learning during the times for which they have been assigned. For example, if a faculty member is assigned to teach on Wednesdays from 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM, the faculty member should make themselves readily available online at this time. This may mean that they are delivering synchronous or asynchronous remote instruction Wednesdays from 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM, or, that they are just accessible online to students during this time frame.
Importantly, these class times are the times during which both the students and faculty have already agreed to meet and should remain as assigned. This agreement is a key component of maintaining Academic Continuity and ensuring that additional conflicts are not unintentionally occurring during this time. Students need to know that they can engage faculty, whether through D2L, Blackboard Collaborate, email, phone, or some other mechanism during the time for which they were originally assigned. In response to COVID-19, the College has shifted the place of instruction and learning, not the time.
Importantly, faculty are also required to hold regularly scheduled student office hours. Like the remote instruction times, remote office hours should be published on the syllabus and be consistently held as they would under normal operations. Of course, faculty and students may engage remotely beyond those times, as appropriate to maximize learning.
Modify/Update Course Syllabi
Once new assignments and due dates have been created, changes should be made on each course syllabus. Consider including an opening statement such as the following:
"As part of the college response to COVID-19, this course has been shifted to remote learning starting on Monday, March 23. This change will now require students to log in to the D2L website for course assignments and instruction in the class. Information and updates to the course will be communicated as soon as possible through email and in the D2L course shell. Please note that the course schedule and schedule of assignments have been changed and may be further modified to best achieve the learning outcomes for this class. Please check into the D2L site and email me directly for ongoing updates to the course."
Other considerations in modifying syllabi may include:
Contact your students immediately about how the course will be changing, where to locate course information, and what they should expect from you as the instructor. Even though classes are suspended the week of March 14 through March 22, faculty should still reach out to students. Post an announcement in D2L and send students an email outlining new assignments and due dates, along with how you will provide instruction (conference call, Blackboard Collaborate, D2L, etc.). While the majority of faculty use D2L, others may be using some of the other college-approved web-based platforms. Whatever the case, be sure to provide students clear, consistent details to avoid confusion. During the transition, students may need more support, more clarity, more directions, and more compassion than usual. Try to find ways to communicate your care and concern for their overall success and well-being.
Share Information: Create a place for students to ask and answer questions. Faculty can create a shared document to collect questions, preferences for office hours, or synchronous meetings. Just be sure students know they should contact you privately with personal or grade related questions. Also, consider creating an open Q&A discussion board for students to share information.
Create Virtual Office Hours: Make yourself available to students using tools such as telephone, email, or Blackboard Collaborate. Be sure to communicate your schedule and expectations about office hours (for example, will you have an open Skype meeting that students can dial into for help, or call you during office hours).
Provide Access to Support: Be aware that students may experience technology or connectivity challenges. Let them know they can seek help from the Broward College Help Desk at (954) 201-7350.
To get started, publish your new materials and provide a clear starting place with directions for moving through the course.
As you implement your plan, remember to be flexible and communicate often.
Provide Interaction - Teaching remotely requires adaptation of face-to-face interaction. Here are some avenues for interaction in an online environment:
Assess Learning: By linking assignments, discussions, and quizzes to the D2L grade book, students will be easily informed of their progress. Here are some suggestions for adapting different assessment types:
Faculty can use this self-check list to gauge their level of preparedness before transitioning to remote learning.