Online Instruction FAQ

ITS has been working on Connectivity solutions. You can see some options on the Internet Connectivity page.

You won’t know unless you ask. Likely, those students will reach out to you though. There are a couple of quick solutions: 

• Make as much of your content asynchronous as possible, or don’t require synchronous sessions.
• Recording synchronous sessions through WebEx so they can be accessed later by students who might need to download them. WebEx also allows you to turn on a Create Transcript option to generate a text (sometimes with amusing mondegreens) that low-bandwidth students can download.
• Widen your exam or assignment submission windows.
• See the Student Functionality page.

Please see the Faculty Functionality page for additional details. In short, “online” refers to a class that was purpose-built for delivery fully online (no in-person meetings); “remote” refers to a class that normally would be held in-person, but due to unforeseeable circumstances, has been modified to use various alternative methods for course instruction. Since social distancing is a mandate, our primary mode of delivery is through Folio. It doesn’t mean that you can’t meet with your students in real-time; those meetings will just be mediated through technology.

Check out Flower Dabry’s CHE article, “How to Recover the Joy of Teaching After an Online Pivot”, for some inspiration. 

While you may want to replicate your in-person course in an online format as much as possible, synchronous sessions—where students and instructors still meet virtually in real-time using web conferencing tools like Webex or Google Meets—pose considerable challenges and barriers to students who do not all have equal access to the necessary tools, devices, or internet connectivity. Consider alternative means to help students feel connected to the course and one another, so students can continue with remote instruction. Consider the following suggestions: 

• Create videos (using Kaltura Capture) or audio recordings for students to engage with on their own time. Make sure to upload these to Kaltura Media Space and caption all audio elements to support accessibility.
  • Due to high usage not only on our campus, sometimes there is a delay in getting these to process, or temporary glitches in replaying. Please be patient.
• Provide a range of materials (detailed outlines, instructor created accessible PowerPoint or MS Word documents, additional readings directly linked to GS Libraries, etc.) to help students interact with the content in a range of ways. 
• Have students use discussion boards to communicate about the course or group projects. 
• If using a web conferencing tool, please record the session for those who cannot attend synchronously and to allow later review. Remember to upload the video to Kaltura, add captions, and upload the video into Folio for all of your students to access. 

The University actually employs tech options that cover most of our needs (WebEx, Google Hangout Meets, Kaltura, etc.). Some courses can be supplemented with additional tech, but the University can’t support or embed it. Soon, you can see some of those crowd-sourced suggestions on the Faculty Center under Additional Resources for Faculty.

Your department should be your first stop, but there are also other resources like Cengage’s discipline-specific webinars.

In-person proctored exams will not be held for online courses that would normally have this requirement. Online proctoring services have been maxed out. Instructors will need to develop alternative ways to handle exams and share them with the students in their courses.

Instructors who administer timed online exams are responsible for adjusting exam lengths to facilitate extended time accommodations. The SARC is in the process of contacting instructors since students with accommodations might not know to communicate directly with their instructor. The SARC is continuing to meet with students via phone. They will also continue to offer first visits, intake meetings, follow-up meetings, and weekly visits. Students can also meet with the center for note taking assistance and alternate textbook orders. If you need further assistance, contact SARC. 

Georgia Southern Libraries are open by appointment only. Henderson & Lane Libraries will be open for computer use by students, faculty and staff for two-hour time blocks, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. You can request an appointment here.  

Individual departments are handling these differently. You should contact your department chair if they have not already been in touch about changes to delivery or evaluation of courses like these.

Common sense and grace should be your guiding principles. The Department of Public Health is encouraging people not to tie up resources unless they are truly ill. Many reasons students might go to the doctor or Health Center for in regular circumstances do not require a medical note.

Yes, students will be able to do the things mentioned. Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do to stop that outside of the classroom. However, as the instructor, you should continue to reinforce your expectations and that of the university regarding academic integrity. Cheating is still cheating; plagiarism is still plagiarism. While there will always be the need for independent work, think about developing more assignments that encourage collaboration. Consider proactively using TurnItIn as a teaching tool in class to help dissuade plagiarism. Share with students your intent to use Respondus and LockDown to help reduce cheating on timed exams. 

While faculty do have Respondus Monitor and LockDown Browser available to use for Proctoring tests, the Faculty Center encourages faculty to consider alternative assessment options. Rutgers University has created an explanation of why proctored exams during times like this are not the best choice and offer 10 Alternatives to Exams and Special Advice for Open-Book Assessment in Quantitative Courses. 

Please see the Office of Research’s Continuance of Operations page. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) will continue to function through email and Webex meetings and process applications normally. Faculty should continue to engage in scholarship as appropriate given the guidelines for limited people on campus. If faculty need to be on campus to work in their labs or studios, that is ok, but again limit interactions with others as much as possible. Health and safety personnel will be on campus in the event of a lab or studio emergency.

You can list the conference on your CV. View the APA citation guidelines for canceled and virtual conferences. You’ll also want to have a conversation with your department chair if you are a tenure-track faculty or coming up for promotion soon for more specific guidance.

Yes, but they need to comply with the guidance issued by the College of Graduate Studies. 

RAs: faculty supervisors should work with the students to discuss expectations of how work will be completed and a timeline for that work.

If a student is working in a lab and that work is necessary to progress a project, please follow these steps:

1. Establish a lab schedule for students—no more than 2 students working in a lab at one time.
2. Share the schedule with a list of student names with all vital parties including the chair, Dean, and the Dean of the Graduate College. University Police will be patrolling spaces on campus and may ask individuals to leave that do not have permission.
3. Work with these students to ensure they are only coming to campus when necessary. RAs should attempt most of their work remotely.
4. Since many of the buildings are locked, students will need to coordinate with chairs or building supervisors to get access. 

Not at the university level. The Senate President will issue an update on Senate activities. Check with your committee chairs about meeting procedures and any changes to schedules for other committees. Check with Deans about college-level committees, and chairs for department-level committees. 

The Travel Advisory Committee for Study abroad and faculty travel has recommended we cancel all international programs through July. USG Goes Global is also canceling its program for the summer.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) states “If a school closes temporarily but offers online instruction or another alternative learning procedure, nonimmigrant students should participate in online or other alternate learning procedures and remain in active status. Given the extraordinary nature of the COVID-19 emergency, SEVP will allow international students to temporarily count all online classes towards a course of study. This temporary provision is only in effect for the duration of the emergency.”

No. The grading scale and contact hour requirement remain the same for all USG schools. Some admissions requirements have been adjusted in response to the closure of testing centers and sites.

Your chair should have already been in touch about adding them to each of your courses in the event you become ill, put all grades into the Folio grade book and follow HR guidelines for submitting sick leave.

Please use the following message:

“We understand that you and many other students are anxious about the move to an online teaching format. We encourage you to work closely with your professors and utilize the many resources that are available to you so that you can not only be successful with this new format but so that you can continue with your plans to graduate on time. Your Instructors and academic advisors are monitoring and answering emails Monday through Friday during regular working hours to provide you with the support you need.

As many employees are now required to work from home, your ability to conquer this new learning format will undoubtedly become a sought-after skillset as you graduate and move into the workforce.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out and communicate with us as soon as possible.”

Employees should not come to work when they are sick. Employees should stay home and use appropriate leave. Regular benefits-eligible employees have leave available to them to cover absences. Employees should follow standard request and approval procedures. The employee will be expected to use appropriate leave to cover the time away and may be expected to provide a release from a health care provider to return to work.

On March 12, 2020, Governor Brian Kemp’s office issued a memo regarding State Workforce Readiness for COVID-19 to reduce the number of employees on-site at any one time. The memo provides guidance for state agencies to take immediate action to implement telework options for staff who can telework without interruption to their duties. For those employees who are not able to telework, the guidance advises agencies to increase work schedule flexibility.

If you have work that can be completed remotely by a student, then you can allow them to do so. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to make sure the tasks are completed and that the employee accurately records the time on their timecard.

Yes, “talk” with your students as you feel comfortable. Here are a couple of articles that can help you navigate the emotional aspect of the current situation: 

• 10 Ways to Help Your Students Cope with the Transition to Virtual Learning – It’s About Much More Than Just the Technology by Tsedal Neeley 
• That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief by Scott Berinato