Associate Dean Academic – message to faculty re: COVID-19 | March 13, 2020

Hi Everyone,

As you know, our classes have been moved online starting this coming Monday March 16 and continuing until the end of semester on Friday April 3. This is obviously new territory for most of us, but I am confident that we will make the online transition successfully and provide our students with a quality learning experience.

For the majority of our courses, moving classes online will involve using a platform such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom in order to conduct a live online class. These platforms will allow you to lecture to attending students while screen-sharing PowerPoint slides, playing a video, or sharing other documents. I would encourage you to start becoming familiar with one of these online platforms as soon as possible. Online classes can also be recorded and posted on your Quercus class site. Our faculty has recently secured several Zoom licenses for you to use over the next few weeks. Instructions on how to access these Zoom licenses will follow shortly, and I would encourage you to use them if you do not already have your own Zoom account. Alternatively, here is a link to accessing Microsoft Teams: https://easi.its.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Teams-Video.pdf

As a reminder, assignment/evaluation formats and weights can be modified with the consent of students via a simple majority vote during the online class or via email or Quercus. Alternative assignments should be developed in a way that evaluates similar competencies to the original assignment. I am happy to help brainstorm ideas with you to develop alternative assignments.

I am also re-sending a helpful CTSI link that provides tips and resources as you move your courses online: https://teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching-support/strategies/continuity-planning/

Talk with you soon,

David