Dear Colleagues,
As you have read from President Tiedens, Scripps will be moving to a virtual academic environment using Zoom. This virtual learning environment will commence on Monday, March 30th. There will be no classes during spring break or the week following (March 23-27) so that faculty have time to learn zoom and prepare this instructional transition. Once classes resume on March 30, classes will be held at their usual days and time but via Zoom.
Last Wednesday, FEC discussed the possibility that virtual coursework might be necessary. We are aware that our faculty and our students have varying levels of expertise, knowledge, and comfort with a virtual classroom. We need to accept that the experience for our students and ourselves will be different and we will not be able to do everything on Zoom that we do regularly on campus. As we initiate this transition, I encourage you to be as flexible as possible with each other and the students.
Learning to Use Zoom
You will need to set up Zoom on your computer, tablet, and/or smart phone. An internet connection or cellular data will be necessary. If you have a laptop, tablet or smart phone, you will be able to do teach your classes from whatever environment suits you. You may use your campus office computer as well. If your chosen computer is a PC, a webcam will be necessary. If you do not already have one, please contact IT at [email protected].
Instructions on how to set up Zoom and how to make use of it for teaching can be found here.
We will be having Faculty information sessions this week and we will be scheduling more sessions for next week during spring break (time/dates forthcoming). These meetings will focus on such topics as Zoom, Sakai, and Box.
The meetings this week will be:
Thursday, March 12th
12:00 – 1:00 Steele 107
Friday, March 13th
10:00 – 11:00 Steele 5
12:15 – 1:15 Steele 5
3:00 – 4:00 Steele 5
I encourage you to attend one of these sessions.
In addition, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is providing a workshop on Friday, March 13th from 12 noon to 2 pm. The session is already filled in person but it will be livestreamed for your viewing at http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvdBQeH1m3YBCJq20ZUx3bQ/live and will focus on the following:
1) learn key principles of on-line pedagogy, and in particular the ways on-line learning differs from face-to-face (f2f);
2) practice the process of transitioning from f2f to online courses using examples from the 7Cs;
3) workshop with facilitators to move one aspect of a current or future class to an online format;
4) leave with a host of resources for further study and support.
As a reminder, we will have a special faculty meeting this Thursday to discuss the changes that are being implemented for going virtual. IT also will be there to go over zoom installation and use. You may attend in person (but you do not need to) or rather you can zoom in from your computer at https://zoom.us/j/687764544 or call by phone at (669) 900-6833; Meeting ID: 687 764 544.
Teaching in a Virtual Environment
It is imperative that you communicate with all of your students prior to the first day of virtual classes (Monday, March 30th). You do not need to know everything about how your class will proceed online, but they need to hear from you about what plan you do have (e.g. acknowledging that the class will be held virtually, that you will meet via Zoom on the regularly scheduled days/times). Students have been told to expect this communication from each of their professors.
Arrangements can be made for students to have access to specialty software like SPSS, STATA, and Matlab. Please contact http://inside.scrippscollege.edu/it/academic-software-on-scripps-campus to facilitate this.
If you would like to use another virtual platform (e.g. Skype, Facebook) for your teaching, we will not restrict you, but you will need to make sure students know how to get on to and use these platforms and we may not be able to provide as much help and support for them.
Spend some time over the next two weeks determining how you will cover the content you had planned over this new modality.
We should all expect there will be some bumps along the way in using this form of teaching. I hope we can be generous with one another and share what we learn with one another to help everyone transition and be as effective as possible.
Office Hours and Academic Advising
Please communicate with students in your courses and with your academic advisees about how you will be handling office hours virtually. They will be awaiting word from you on this.
Campus Services
The college will be open and you are free to use your offices. Many people will be working remotely. Don’t assume you will find people in their campus offices, but they should be available on email.
Your administrative assistants have been trained in how to set up Zoom. They will be available to support you.
The Mailroom will have limited hours (which I will provide when I know them).
Malott Dining Hall will be closed.
The Claremont Colleges Library will be open but in a more limited manner.
Be mindful of social distance while you are on campus.
Questions
Some questions will be answered at our special faculty meeting Thursday, March 12th at 4:15 in Steele 101. You may attend in person or you may zoom in from your computer at https://zoom.us/j/687764544 or call by phone at (669) 900-6833 Meeting ID: 687 764 544.
Technological questions can be submitted to IT at [email protected] or by phone at ext. 73406.
All other questions should be directed to the Dean of Faculty’s Office at [email protected]
I know that this transition will create a lot of unexpected work for you. Thank you in advance for your commitment to the students and the college and for all that you will do to support the educational mission during this complicated time.
Sincerely,
Amy