Dear College of Marin Faculty:
Please read this entire message carefully, as it contains vital information related to the College’s ability to respond effectively to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Thank you to the nearly 70 faculty who attended Canvas training Monday and Tuesday. If you were not able to attend, please plan to do so either in person or via Zoom Wednesday, March 11, during Community Hour, from 12:40-1:30p.m. in AC 238.
The College may need to employ temporary remote instruction at any moment. In order to be fully prepared to ensure instructional continuity, ALL faculty need to take the following steps:
1. Finalize a communication plan with your students before spring break.
2. Survey your students to determine if your plan for instructional continuity poses any obstacles (for example, we know 1,700 of our students access the portal/Canvas with their phones) and does that plan include support for students with accommodations?
3. If you are not already in the Canvas Instructor Resources course, please add yourself so that you can access basic Canvas tips and the Instructional Continuity Module.
4. Only use District-supported technology tools (Canvas, Zoom, VoiceThread, Turnitin, MyCOM email, and other academic technology) to ensure students’ privacy.
5. If you don’t feel comfortable recording your lectures, some resources such as Ted Talks, “The Conversation,” NPR clips, and YouTube, may be useful.
6. Download Zoom (confernow.org) on to your local device at conferzoom.org; Zoom can be used for telephone calls in addition to video meeting:
a. functionality (you can also record your Zoom meetings and send the audio links out to students)
b. Here is a link to a Zoom Recorded Training from CCC Tech Connect.
c. Here are instructions on how to integrate your ConferZoom account with Canvas
7. Schedule an appointment with Stacey Lince, instructional designer, should you need assistance with your content in Canvas.
8. Ensure at least one week of course content is ready for remote instruction. Be prepared to use multiple methods to meet student needs. For example, this may include posting content to Canvas but also having telephone conferences with individual students who may not be able to access the content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do students have access to Zoom?
• Yes. Zoom is integrated into Canvas and students with a MyCOM account have access to Canvas.
If the College suspends in-person instruction but then resumes it, may I continue delivering course instruction remotely?
• Unless your course is already Board-approved for hybrid/online delivery modes and you have been trained to meet the OEI rubric standards as set forth in AP 4105 (http://policies.marin.edu/sites/default/files/AP4105-DistanceEducation.pdf), NO. Please plan to resume face-to-face instruction when the College campuses open. We will request temporary approval from the Chancellor’s Office to deliver instruction remotely only during the closure period. Beyond that timeframe, we are not approved for blanket, online instruction. This is a stop-gap measure to ensure instructional continuity during unprecedented circumstances.
If I need help, will anyone be able to assist me?
• Yes. We plan to be working remotely in the event of the closure and will be available to assist you by email, phone, and Zoom. Please also consult with your colleagues, many of whom have experience with Canvas, Zoom, and related technology. Your dean can refer you to colleagues if you are not sure who may be able to help. Your dean will also be available to assist you remotely via email, phone, and Zoom during any suspension of in-person instruction.
May I conduct a class session remotely now to test my readiness and my students’ ability to connect?
• IF you have completed the steps outlined above, yes. It is imperative you give your students notice and walk them through your exact plan first, noting it is a test, and not a full move to remote instruction at this time. If you have any issues or questions as a result, you must report them to Stacey Lince and your dean so we may develop further FAQ responses and help resolve any systemic issues. Please see Dayna Quick’s example of this temporary remote instruction test at the bottom of this message (thanks, Dayna!).
Additional Resources:
• The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/us
• NPR: https://www.npr.org/
• Ted Talks: https://www.ted.com/talks
• CVC OEI Emergency preparedness: https://cvc.edu/about-the-oei/resources/
• College of Marin COVID-19 Information Page: http://www1.marin.edu/news/coronavirus-covid-19-updates-and-resources
Thursday, March 12
Stacey Lince will hold office hours for appointment/drop-in from 10am to 3pm in AC 220.
Example of Temporary Remote Instruction Readiness Test from Dayna Quick (thanks, Dayna!)
I asked my students if they would be ok with us having lecture remotely on Thursday. They will watch 6 10-minute video lectures (I will complete tomorrow), take notes on the lectures, upload a photo of their notes (for attendance) and ask a question or make a connection…They overwhelmingly supported this (20+ students). I will ask for feedback and share that with you.
Jonathan
Jonathan Eldridge
Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Learning and Success