Continuity of Instruction

RIT is committed to the continuity of instruction (also called academic continuity) in the event of an emergency disruption that may result in the suspension of all activities, including face-to-face classes on RIT campuses. To prepare for any significant disruption in classes, ranging from closure due to weather or a public health emergency, to a campus evacuation or closure, all RIT instructors should have a plan in place to:

Consider and prepare for disruptions
Organize your course materials electronically before the start of classes and communicate with students during normal operations
Conduct classes during a disruption by using online communication technologies

Why You Should Have a Continuity of Instruction Plan

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the best-known continuation of instruction initiative in modern times had been "The Sloan Semester" (Lorenzo, 2006), which was a coordinated response to the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 when numerous Gulf Coast colleges and universities were closed and thousands of students were left without a means to continue their education.

In March 2020, all instruction was disrupted, with K-12 and college-level instruction moving to synchronous and asynchronous online instruction. Since that time, instructors have employed a variety of digital tools to connect with students and help them achieve their learning goals across course modes. This page provide some recommendations and resources for building flexibility into your courses to facilitate continuity of instruction.

What Can You Do?

Prepare for Flexibility by Focusing on Instructional Design

Pivoting to a different course mode can be easier if you have recently re-examined the design of your course and reflected on the types of evidence that you need to determine how well students have learned. The instructional designers and technologists of ILI can serve as conversation partners and guides as you reflect on and refine your course design with flexibility in mind. Request a consultation with a designer or technologist to begin this process.

Post Essential Course Information on myCourses.

Use the Content tool in myCourses as a central location for posting syllabi, course schedules, assignment instructions, lecture notes, presentations, lab activities, and links to external web resources. Each course shell is automatically generated before each semester and is restricted to students enrolled in the course.

Leverage RIT Libraries' Online, Discipline-Specific Resources.

Instructors can request to have a wide range of copyrighted, print and/or video-based materials made electronically accessible to students via the online course reserve process. Journal or newspaper articles, chapter readings, and/or instructor-generated resources such as lecture notes are just some examples of what can be put on reserve for a course. Faculty and students can also access a wide range of discipline-specific databases, which offer free, copyright-cleared access to thousands of peer-reviewed research publications. The subject-specialist librarians, assigned to each RIT college, can also work with you and your students to find resources and provide instruction on how to do research through these resources.

Consider Alternate Ways to Communicate with Students and Conduct Class Online.

There are a variety of methods for interacting with students and delivering instruction online in the event that regularly scheduled class time is disrupted. For more information on strategies and tools to help you develop a continuity of instruction plan, go to How to Conduct Your Class Online.

Communicate Your Continuity Plan Though the Course Syllabus.

Once you have determined how you will ensure the continuity of your instruction, let students know what will change for your course and where they should look for information. Incorporate this information into your course syllabi. Be sure to post a communication plan that includes the digital tools that you will use to communicate with students, and how quickly students are likely to get a response from you. Will students likely hear from you within 24 hours during the business week? Will you be less available during the weekend? How may conference or grant-writing deadlines affect your immediate availability? Keep students informed.

Where Can I Get Help?

Teaching & Learning Services provides consultation and support for captioning audio materials, putting course materials in myCourses, and creating online teaching and learning environments
RIT Libraries provides assistance with identifying online curriculum resources, using research databases, and putting course materials on electronic reserve
RIT emergency information is RIT's online resource for emergency preparedness and response on campus including RIT Alert communication options
Business Continuity oversees development of campus-wide programs and plans that enable RIT to respond to incidents and return to normal operations quickly

References

Day, T. (2015). Academic continuity: Staying true to teaching values and objectives in the face of course interruptions. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 3(1), 75-89.

Lorenzo, G. (2006). The Sloan semester. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 12(2), 5-40.

Myers, K. A., and Wilson, J. L. (2011). The role of online learning in the emergency plans of flagship institutions. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, IV(1). Retrieved http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring141/meyer_wilson141.html.

University of Washington (n.d.). Prepare for when classes can’t meet. Retrieved https://www.washington.edu/itconnect/learn/prepare/.