Like every institution of learning in the U.S. at this moment, Coe College is monitoring the spread of Covid-19 and creating plans for the temporary migration to online delivery.
This site is a work in progress and will evolve as our plans evolve.
As we shift coursework to an online format, we must remember that our work in this direction is a temporary solution to less than ideal situation. Our ability to be flexible will be key:
Flexibility and low bars: this is hard for all of us. We are not good at this. We are not looking to excel at this in five weeks. Our students may not have access to regular internet, may be taking care of sick family, may be sick themselves, or working. We are taking care of children, working remotely, and we may be sick ourselves. Please plan your course expectations with flexibility and generosity.
Academic flexibility: with due dates, with feedback, with on-the-fly assignment redesign, with technology limitations, and new communication methods.
A revised syllabus must specify an updated grading rubric.
Asynchronous vs synchronous meetings: we strongly recommending asynchronous options (occurring independently but with specific due dates/times) as much as possible. Requiring students to be online with you at a specific time will require additional considerations for absences: students will be in different time zones, may have poor internet connections, may have additional barriers if living at home.
Any synchronous meetings must be recorded and shared based on ADA requirements for our students.
Social flexibility: understanding that our students (and we) are under additional stress during this time and may need help adjusting and adapting.
Re-thinking assessments and exams: with the understanding that there will be no easy way to proctor a traditional exam, in what ways can we create equitable evaluations (assume all tests and exams are essentially open book).
Communicate with students early and often: student success in learning environments that have online components is increased when there's a sense that the instructor is present (emails and phone calls count).
This site is a work in progress; we will continue to add and update as we progress through the next few weeks. We're all in this together!
[posted 3/19/2020] This document is the first set of academic policies to guide us as we move through these challenging times. These policies were approved by APC for these circumstances only. There will be others in the next week or so and we will post them here.
Coe College Covid-19 Academic Policies (Updated 3/23/2020)
scroll down this page for listings to tools we have easy access to for moving course materials and activities online. Each section below will have an additional page with how-to guides, videos, information about tools, hints and more. If you have any questions
Share a tip or idea you have or a question you think others might be able to help you with: Post a Tip/Ask a Question
Where Do I Start: if you do NOT currently use Moodle, Google Classroom, or another digital method for sharing and collecting course assignments, start here.
Angela Zizkowski and Lisa Wiebenga Stroschine are available to help with all needs associated with temporarily transitioning to online course content delivery.
Feel free to also reach out to faculty who have volunteered their expertise and time for our greater good:
Steve Singleton: Things I've used in classes or could help with: Moodle (quizzes, forums, assignments, database), Zoom, Google Hangout, Google forms, CoCalc/Jupyter (for mathematics, programming, and LaTeX), CoLaboratory (python programming), "scanner apps" (enable students to submit handwritten work), designed/written guided-inquiry activities, able to discuss assignment design.
Gina Hausknecht: Google suite (Docs, Forms, Sheets, Slides, Drive management). Reasonably familiar with Zoom, Moodle basics, AND a nearly inexhaustible appetite for discussions about teaching and learning. :)
Rick Eichhorn: I have been paperless for a long time, at this point using google classroom. I can help with setting up a classroom, posting course materials and assignments, even some which self grade. I have also screen grabbed my desktop in video to teach how to code. I have a go-pro and tripod(s) for recording a lecture next to a whiteboard. I have used google hangout but only a little. Almost all my expertise is on a Mac.
Kelly Keegan: I’m very familiar with Google Forms but have never used them for tests. Same goes with Google Hangout—I know how to use it but haven’t tried with classes before. I just started playing around with Moodle quizzes as an alternative to an in-person final exam yesterday, but I’m not sure if I have it completely figured out.
Zen Cohen: I am available to offer assistance regarding video/sound recording, creating/sharing digital images and Google tools. Working remotely.
Michael Stobb: I've been using Google Hangouts and Zoom for years. If someone would benefit from a little guidance, I would be happy to help.
Shanna Pikora: I plan to put together step-by-step instructions for students and the SI Leaders on how to use Google Meet and Discord. Once those are made, I’d be happy share. Working remotely.
There are two options for instructors to facilitate class sessions remotely:
Synchronous: instructors and students gather at the same time and interact in “real time” with a very short or “near-real time” exchange between instructors and students.
Asynchronous: instructors prepare course materials for students in advance of students’ access. Students may access the course materials at a time of their choosing and will interact with each over a longer period of time.
Instructors may choose to engage their students synchronously or asynchronously depending on the course content or material that needs to be taught. There are many advantages and disadvantages to asynchronous and synchronous teaching options.
Advantages of Synchronous Teaching
Immediate personal engagement between students and instructors, which may create greater feelings of community and lessen feelings of isolation
More responsive exchanges between students and instructors, which may prevent miscommunication or misunderstanding
Disadvantages of Synchronous Teaching
More challenging to schedule shared times for all students and instructors
Keep in mind students will be in different time zones, may be working, or may be caring for family members at home, and may be ill themselves
Some students may face technical challenges or difficulties if they do not have fast or powerful Wi-Fi networks accessible
Some of our students will rely solely on their mobile phones to stay connected
We should expect many systems and networks will become overloaded as the nation moves online
Advantages of Asynchronous Teaching
Higher levels of temporal flexibility, which may simultaneously make the learning experiences more accessible to different students and also make an archive of past materials accessible.
Increased cognitive engagement since students will have more time to engage with and explore the course material.
Disadvantages of Asynchronous Teaching
Students may feel less personally exchanged and less satisfied without the social interaction between their peers and instructors.
Course material may be misunderstood or have the potential to be misconstrued without the real-time interaction.
Email via my.coe.edu list
news forum via Moodle: this is the forum in the very top topic, added automatically to all sites. Adding a new topic to this forum automatically sends the forum message to students' CoeMail.
After initial contact you might find an alternative to email works better: group messaging apps: Remind, GroupMe
phone calls and gMail chats
CoeMail
Moodle: Adding Files to Your Course
Information regarding Library materials and reserves coming soon
Tutorials coming soon
Moodle Assignment Activity: The Assignment activity in Moodle allows students to turn in digital copies of work, and for you to provide feedback to students as well as grades. If you are new to Moodle check out the Assignment quick guide to get started.
Google docs
Low tech/worst case: student can snail mail handwritten papers (share your home mailing address with individuals). Students can snap photos of handwritten notes/pages and message or attach to email.
Google Hangouts Meet: this tool is part of our Google Apps domain.
Zoom: free version has a 40 minute limit on meetings. There are features in Zoom that allow you to replicate the classroom experience including screen sharing, whiteboards, breakout rooms. Zoom can accommodate up to 100 participants.
Google Hangouts Meet, YouTube, and Zoom utilize a webcam/mic and allow multiple parties to conference together. Meetings can be recorded for later viewing.
Moodle Chat Room (text only)
CLICK HERE for Additional How-To/Tips and for information regarding scheduling Library "Hosting" Rooms
Moodle: Forum activity
The Forum activity in Moodle allows you to facilitate class discussions. These differ from a virtual class meeting because they are text based and typically occur over the span of several hours or days. If you have never used this tool in Moodle, check out this documentation on the Forum activity.
Short, pre-recorded sections of a lecture, a problem set, or other course material can be recorded using tools we have ready access to on campus and off. Videos can be linked in your Moodle course or Google Classroom (or can be shared via email or whatever other method of communication you've set up with your students).
After watching your mini lecture or recorded content students can react via a Moodle forum, comments section on YouTube or Loom, or directly to you via email.
Online quizzes can be created and distributed via Moodle, Google Classrooms/Google Forms, and other online sources.
Moodle Quiz Tools: can be used to create quizzes; auto-graded or manually graded.
Google Forms: options for auto-grading. After creating, share link via Moodle or email.
PollEverywhere is a web-based response system that can be integrated with PowerPoint or Google Slides
CLICK HERE for how-to videos, guidelines, and tips.
How to set an different quiz time for students with accommodations. (Click the little square in the lower right-hand corner to see in full screen)