Academics • Ensure a safe return to campus with community based-learning
GOALS
and adaptive face-to-face instruction. • Provide faculty and staff with the development, training and technology to adapt to the changing conditions caused by the virus and the directives of state and local authorities. • Promote safety and well-being among all students, faculty and staff by ensuring proper physical distancing, disinfection strategies and preventative measures.
We believe that face-to-face instruction is paramount for the student experience. When the 2020-21 academic year commences in the fall, faculty will be providing face-to-face instruction along with virtual options as well. Faculty are working now to prepare courses that provide a seamless experience in and out of the classroom. HYBRID COURSES
During the fall 2020 semester, all traditional courses will be offered in a hybrid format. Hybrid refers to content both in MyFire and in physical classrooms. With hybrid course preparation, faculty will be able to accommodate social distancing and also flex as CDC guidelines, campus conditions or social distancing protocols are relaxed or restricted. To reduce viral spread, professors using a hybrid course preparation will ensure that social distancing practices are carried into the classroom environment. COURSE DELIVERY
To supplement face to face delivery, faculty will be loading course content into the MyFire online learning platform. Course content might include pre-recorded video lectures, recorded class meetings, articles, assignments, or even Zoom sessions for live class meetings. Every class has a course shell in MyFire which is where students access content, submit tasks, take assessments, and see grade updates. CLASSROOM SETTING
In keeping with CDC recommendations, students will wear masks in classrooms and practice social distancing. Our classrooms will provide adequate space while also allowing students to interact with one another, the professors and the class content. While the number of people physically present during any classroom meeting will vary with updates to CDC recommendations for social distancing, live instruction, access to professors and connection with classmates won’t change. We will limit physical presence in each classroom to 50 percent of that standard room capacity to enable social distancing. As CDC guidelines on social distancing are updated, the percentage of students able to be physically present in the same room could increase or decrease. There will be signage in place to indicate the new occupancy numbers for each classroom.
If you have any COVID-19 questions, please email covid@seu.edu. 16
