Teaching and Student Support During IP Campus Closures
The following questions and answers supplement Seaver College's general guidelines for remote teaching and Pepperdine University's academic continuity plan. This page focuses on unplanned closures of International Programs campuses; another page addresses circumstances when the Malibu campus might be closed. Please direct unanswered questions to Kindy De Long.
Student Support and Resources
What options are available to get access to textbooks for students?
For some classes, students will still have access to the textbooks they purchased
or rented. For classes that provide textbooks to students only at the International
Program location, the faculty member and IP staff should find an alternative way to
offer the text. For short portions of textbooks, it would be easiest to scan and post
on Courses. This falls under Educational Fair Use. For longer portions, faculty may
wish to contact the publisher who might be able to provide digital access. Faculty
who teach the same course on the Malibu campus may be able to assist; IP faculty may
reach out to Malibu faculty members and the relevant division staff members. Faculty
members who need additional support in this area may contact Kindy De Long.
What university services can I offer to students who have returned home from IP campuses?
- The Seaver College Student Care Team (SCT) can provide material and other kinds of support to students in need; to alert the SCT about a student you believe needs assistance, contact La Shonda Coleman, Andrea Harris, or Cassie Horton.
- If you believe a student would benefit from counseling, you may refer the student to the Counseling Center at 310.506.4210. Students residing near the Malibu campus may make an in-person appointment with the counseling center. For students away from the Malibu campus, the center will provide a list of in-person resources in the student's area and a referral. For all students, the counseling center will provide crisis support by phone nights and weekends.
- For pastoral care, students may contact our chaplain at 310.506.4275. The chaplain's office is happy to offer remote care for students who are away from the Malibu campus.
- Students who need accessibility accommodations may contact the Office of Student Accessibility by email or at 310.506.6500.
Faculty Support and Resources
Where can I get support for teaching remotely?
Please see the Center for Teaching Excellence's Keep on Teaching page and TechLearn's Academic Continuity page for many useful resources.
How do I report information about how I taught remotely?
Paul Begin and Ron Cox will develop a method for faculty to report this information. Watch for information coming from them. In the meantime, please keep good records of the adjustments you make. A revised syllabus that reflects the changes made to shift to remote delivery is one useful method of documentation.
Class Activities
Is there an expectation that new material will be covered during this time?
Our syllabi state that certain content will be covered in the course. The goal is
to meet the learning outcomes of the course by the end of the semester in a way that
works for everyone given the various challenges. Faculty are encouraged to be creative
and flexible in the process of meeting these outcomes.
If an exam was scheduled during the campus closure, is there a best practice about
whether to reschedule or use an on-line format?
Use your wisdom. The college is giving wide latitude for faculty to use their best judgment in relationship to their specific course. Please note that students in your classes who receive OSA accommodations in face-to-face classes will still need those accommodations remotely. Please work with the OSA to ensure that students' needs are met.
If I assign videos to be watched asynchronously as part of my remote teaching strategy,
can I tell whether students have watched the entire video?
Our Courses learning management system does not offer this functionality. In this
regard, asynchronous videos are much like any other form of preparatory homework,
such as reading assignments. A recognized best practice is to link the asynchronous
video (or any information-transfer activity that students do outside of class) with
some method of gathering direct evidence of student learning. Two simple examples
include administering identical quizzes before and after the video, or having students
write a brief reflection on the video's contents.
Is it okay to request that teams of students continue to work together on projects
while learning remotely?
Yes. Please use discretion knowing that students have been impacted in various degrees and in a variety of ways. In particular, please be sure to allow adequate flexibility to work across different time zones. Students may already be familiar with a variety of online collaboration tools, but feel free to request additional guidance from the Center for Teaching Excellence or the Technology and Learning team in this area.
What if part of my curriculum involves field trips, such as to museums?
Faculty may substitute relevant alternatives, such as a written reflection on works of art with images available on-line or virtual tours available online. Faculty should feel free to use their best judgment in relationship to their specific course.
What if students can't meet the number of hours required for the internships in which
they are enrolled?
Please contact Dana Dudley. We will work on a case-by-case basis to find solutions.