Thank you for your extraordinary involvement in the numerous webinars and group meetings to prepare us all for our new online course delivery. One topic that has surfaced repeatedly is communication: How do we stay in touch with our students that are overseas? What tools can (or should) we use? How come I’m not hearing back from students in my class?
First of all it is crucial that we recognize that our students are negotiating the same uncertainties and stresses that we are. They are struggling with isolation, with challenges focusing on tasks, and in many cases separation from their families. In addition to this we have only now emerged from Spring break, so a delay at this point might be expected.
Our students are now engaging with their classes in a totally new way and they are using one device (their computer) to get instruction from numerous faculty. We should aim for consistency across classes to decrease stress and fatigue for our students.
If each instructor chooses a different method to communicate it can lead to burn out, missed messages and frustration.
Some of our students are working from home in countries that have restricted access to tools that we depend on and use to build our courses and communicate, for example Gmail and Google Docs. Many other tools at the New School also interface with Google, for example Canvas and Starfish both route messages to students’ New School email addresses, which are Gmail-based. The tools that work reliably at this point are Zoom and Canvas, but we will need to continue to monitor how well these tools are working for all of our students.
The best option to communicate consistently with your students is Canvas. If our students can reliably visit one location to access information about all of their courses it will help avoid confusion. This doesn’t mean that you can’t continue to email your students or use other communication tools, but Canvas SHOULD be used as a constant, something our students can count on regardless of their geographic restrictions.
Here are three tools that can be used to create a consistent experience for our students:
Canvas
Canvas is excellent for asynchronous assignments and discussions. Canvas can also host short videos (2 - 4 min, under 500 MB). Canvas messages work in place of gmail to send communications to the class and individual students.
Zoom
This is the best option for synchronous sessions with your students. It can also be used to record a longer lecture or other message for your students that can be accessed online via zoom’s cloud storage. This video link can then be added to your Canvas course.
Apps Anywhere
This is a tool that is hosted on the New School servers that allows a user to connect and then tunnel out to various sites or tools that might otherwise be inaccessible. The tool is available to students and faculty that enables access to Google Chrome and other apps regardless of their location -- they can check their email, google drive and other sites through this portal.
Since Apps Anywhere is providing a virtual link to the university’s servers, it may function slowly. But at least the option for access is there should students choose to use it. Due to speed and functionality, Canvas is the preferred option.
All three of these tools can be found in the “apps locker” on the top right of my.newschool.edu. Instructions for setting up Apps Anywhere can be found here.
There are other tools and methods (like Virtual Private Networks) that individual students may use to access sites on the internet that are blocked in their country. Please know that the use of a VPN may be illegal and can put a student in jeopardy. University policy is that students should adhere to in-country regulations about internet usage and as faculty we should never encourage it as a solution.
If students directly visit your Canvas course, they will be able to receive updates from you. One method is to use your course homepage as a place to offer updates, resources and links. You can also use the Inbox to send messages to your students and they can message you back. If all faculty use these features, students will have a consistent way to connect with their courses.
As all classes at The New School shift to remote learning, Canvas will become the “online classroom” for the university. It is important that students ensure they are able to access their courses in Canvas to engage in class activities as well as receive communication from instructors. Please be sure that students update notification preferences in Canvas so as to not miss any messages or information regarding classes. See the Canvas and Zoom Access- Global for directions, link here.
If the recordings are for the sole purpose of the instructors, Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, and enrolled students - and will be destroyed at the conclusion of the course - then no signature or approval is needed by the students and there are no FERPA implications.
If the recordings will be available to other parties, beyond those previously listed, (e.g., IT, marketing, other classes now or in the future, dean's offices, assessment efforts) then you will need explicit permission by each student and the disclosure should be dated and include the specific purpose of the disclosure and the exact parties to whom it will be disclosed. Sharing recordings requires written permission by the students per disclosure (like a transcript) so it cannot be a blanket approval for some vague period or unspecified people.
Additionally, if a recording only includes materials and the voice or image of the instructor, and there is no direct relation (written or otherwise) to any enrolled student, then there are no FERPA implications.
It is important to consider what content you are sharing and if your entire class will be able to access it. Some material that we are used to sharing can be problematic. Youtube for example is a Google product and cannot be accessed in some countries. Consider alternatives for the media you would normally have hosted in a blocked site. Here is a website that you can use to see what sites are blocked in China for example.
Students should approach content and subject matter in their work as if they were studying at the New York campus. The content of courses taught on The New School platforms such as Canvas are protected by the university policy for the Freedom of Expression. Additional information on academic freedom, rights and privacy can be found here.
Keep in mind that research related to identity or politics that felt appropriate on campus in NYC may feel different to students abroad. Please ensure respect for students who may request shifts in topics or expressions.
Other apps may work and be suggested by students. Please be mindful that zero personal student information should be shared on these platforms. Any grade, student ID info, etc is definitely a FERPA violation.