Checklist for Class Announcement about Shift to Remote Teaching
Intro statement about expecting variety from instructors
Example: This is a long announcement, but it contains important information. Please read it all, and read it carefully. As you all know by now, starting March 30, all UNL classes will be delivered remotely. Over the next two weeks, I and all other UNL instructors will be working to make this shift possible for our classes. As instructors, we have many options for remote instruction and will do our best to choose the options that will work best for us and our students. This means the classes you are in will likely use a range of technological tools and teaching strategies. Canvas will still be the primary online classroom used, and a lot of communication will happen through Canvas and email. Plan on checking both of these frequently.
Statement acknowledging the challenge of the situation
Example: As challenging as this will be for all of us, we are also presented with an opportunity to practice important skills such as communicating online, learning how to use new tools quickly, and rapidly adjusting to unforeseen circumstances. These are skills that are valuable in the workplace, and I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to practice them now as a student.
Outline of plan for instruction: do you plan on providing instructional videos, recorded lectures, etc.? Will there be any synchronous class meetings? Even if you don’t know specifics yet, try to give a sense of what you’re considering.
Example: As of now, my plan is to record short (10-15) videos that will serve in place of the lecture portions of my teaching. I will also post on Canvas the PowerPoint slides that I would have used in our in-person meetings. Because of how everyone’s schedules are being disrupted, I am not currently planning on doing any synchronous (whole class meeting virtually at one time) instruction.
Plan for assessment: will there be changes to any graded activities, relative to what is in the syllabus, including dropping/adding assignments, quizzes, substantial changes to their format, etc.?
Example: Because part of our in-person meetings have involved group discussions and I would like to continue that, I am planning on adding discussion board posts/responses to the set of learning activities that contribute to your grade. At a later date I will share more detailed information about what will be required and how your posts will be graded. All other assessments will be more or less the same but handled through Canvas: you’ll submit your assignments through Canvas and take our regularly scheduled quizzes on Canvas. For quizzes, I will set them up to be timed, with a time limit that is comparable to what you would have had while taking them in class.
Technological tools plan: is there anything outside of the standard UNL tools(e.g., Canvas, Zoom) that they need to get set up(e.g., Discord, and campus VPN)?
Example: Sometime before March 30, you should make sure you can log in to and access the UNL Libraries resources. When you’re connected to campus internet, you can automatically access some resources that you cannot access automatically from off-campus. You will likely need that access to complete some of your assignments, so please make sure it is set up. If needed, you can find information on how to set up a VPN at https://its.unl.edu/services/vpn/.
Anticipated major changes to final projects, group work, presentations, etc.
Example: We will still have presentations for final projects. Rather than doing a live presentation session, I am going to have you all record your presentations. Details about how to record them and requirements for watching other presentations will come later.
Communication plan: what is your plan for office hours, what should students expect in email communication, etc.
Example: I do plan to continue to hold my regular office hours starting March 30, but will hold them via Zoom. The Zoom meeting ID I’ll use is XXX XXX XXX. I will also be available via email as usual, and I will do my best to respond to your emails within 48 hours during the week. If you email me over the weekend, it might take an extra day or two for me to get back to you.
Timeline for communication and course materials: when do you think you’ll have more detailed info for them? When do you plan to have things ready to go online?
Example: Expect to receive another announcement from me by Tuesday of next week. By that time, I should have more information for you about the video lectures, changes to my assessment/grading plan, and my plan for communication and office hours. I am going to do my best to have the first round of learning materials posted on Canvas by March 27 so they will be available to you the weekend before we officially reconvene.
Specific instructions to contact you if they don’t have access to a computer, internet, etc.
Example: If you do not have access to a computer, internet that will allow you to view the videos I post, or other resources you will need to be successful in this class going forward, please email me directly ASAP. My goal is to help you continue to be successful in this class, and we will do our best to work through whatever challenges you will face during this remote teaching/learning period.
Statement about how to be successful for the rest of the semester
Example: I want you to be successful during the remainder of the semester. My best recommendation for making that happen is to (1) communicate with me when you need to—the earlier the better! and (2) put in the required time to watch the videos, read your textbook, and complete all learning activities that I assign. None of us anticipated this when the semester started, but we are all going to get through it together!
Full announcement template, drawn from examples above
(USE AND EDIT AS NEEDED)
This is a long announcement, but it contains important information. Please read it all, and read it carefully.
As you all know by now, starting March 30, all UNL classes will be delivered remotely. Over the next two weeks, I and all other UNL instructors will be working to make this shift possible for our classes. As instructors, we have many options for remote instruction and will do our best to choose the options that will work best for us and our students. This means the classes you are in will likely use a range of technological tools and teaching strategies. Canvas will still be the primary online classroom used, and a lot of communication will happen through Canvas and email. Plan on checking both of these frequently.
As challenging as this will be for all of us, we are also presented with an opportunity to practice important skills such as communicating online, learning how to use new tools quickly, and rapidly adjusting to unforeseen circumstances. These are skills that are valuable in the workplace, and I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to practice them now as a student.
As of now, my plan is to record short (10-15) videos that will serve in place of the lecture portions of my teaching. I will also post on Canvas the PowerPoint slides that I would have used in our in-person meetings. Because of how everyone’s schedules are being disrupted, I am not currently planning on doing any synchronous (whole class meeting virtually at one time) instruction.
Because part of our in-person meetings have involved group discussions and I would like to continue that, I am planning on adding discussion board posts/responses to the set of learning activities that contribute to your grade. At a later date I will share more detailed information about what will be required and how your posts will be graded. All other assessments will be more or less the same but handled through Canvas: you’ll submit your assignments through Canvas and take our regularly scheduled quizzes on Canvas. For quizzes, I will set them up to be timed, with a time limit that is comparable to what you would have had while taking them in class.
Sometime before March 30, you should make sure you can log in to and access the UNL Libraries resources. When you’re connected to campus internet, you can automatically access some resources that you cannot access automatically from off-campus. You will likely need that access to complete some of your assignments, so please make sure it is set up. If needed, you can find information on how to set up a VPN at https://its.unl.edu/services/vpn/.
We will still have presentations for final projects. Rather than doing a live presentation session, I am going to have you all record your presentations. Details about how to record them and requirements for watching other presentations will come later.
I do plan to continue to hold my regular office hours starting March 30, but will hold them via Zoom. The Zoom meeting ID I’ll use is XXX XXX XXX. I will also be available via email as usual, and I will do my best to respond to your emails within 48 hours during the week. If you email me over the weekend, it might take an extra day or two for me to get back to you.
Expect to receive another announcement from me by Tuesday of next week. By that time, I should have more information for you about the video lectures, changes to my assessment/grading plan, and my plan for communication and office hours. I am going to do my best to have the first round of learning materials posted on Canvas by March 27 so they will be available to you the weekend before we officially reconvene.
If you do not have access to a computer, internet that will allow you to view the videos I post, or other resources you will need to be successful in this class going forward, please email me directly ASAP. My goal is to help you continue to be successful in this class, and we will do our best to work through whatever challenges you will face during this remote teaching/learning period.
I want you to be successful during the remainder of the semester. My best recommendation for making that happen is to (1) communicate with me when you need to—the earlier the better! and (2) put in the required time to watch the videos, read your textbook, and complete all learning activities that I assign. None of us anticipated this when the semester started, but we are all going to get through it together!