Academic Technology
It's Flu Season, and MCLA's CAT is Ready to Assist You
Vice-President Cynthia Brown encourages faculty to post some of their course materials online as a means of allowing students to remain home if they become sick with the H1N1 or seasonal flu. CAT will readily assist any faculty wishing to post their materials online in Blackboard Vista.
To arrange for help, please contact the office by phone 662-5506 or email to make an appointment. Requests will be handled on a first-come, first-serve basis. We look forward to hearing from you!
Other Things You Can Do to Keep Teaching During Flu Season
Although you cannot predict if or when the flu may affect you or your students, you can plan in advance how you will respond. Here are a few more things you can do now to prepare:
- Review your course goals and objectives and determine how students can keep working toward them, even if they cannot come to class.
- Identify how you will inform your students if, for any reason, you need to cancel class. Note that Banner has tools for emailing students in your class roster. Encourage your students to update their personal information in Banner, particularly their preferred email address.
- Consider the resources and activities you can direct students toward if class cannot be held for a time or if students cannot attend. FACT can assist you with most of the following options, or direct you to someone who can.
- Study Resources
- Readings, Textbooks, and Text Supplements
- Faculty Website
- Library Resources
- Online study aids and games
- Plan how you will fairly accommodate multiple students who need to make up work or exams. Adopt flexible attendance requirements for students who become ill.
- Explain in your syllabus how you plan to respond if you or your students contract the flu. In so doing, encourage students to remain home if they become sick.
- Communication Tools:
- Lecture Recording
- Podcasting/Screencasting
- Online discussion boards
- Other social networking tools
We encourage you to consult with your colleagues and students as you plan ahead. CAT also stands ready to assist you as needed in making contingency plans, preparing materials, or mastering tools. But planning ahead is essential. Our resources are limited.
