What would be a reasonable approach to classroom teaching in the fall?

[Parasaurolophus]

We've just been told that faculty can choose to teach online this semester. We start September 7.

[Cheerful]

We've just been told that faculty can choose to teach online this semester. We start September 7.

What are your thoughts on this development?

[mamselle]

We've just been told that faculty can choose to teach online this semester. We start September 7.

What are your thoughts on this development?

Yeah, couldn't they have waited longer and given you less notice??

M.

[rxprof]

We were informed that if we are not able to teach in-person (e.g., mild case of COVID, young children quarantined from school), we are NOT allowed to use Zoom to remotely meet with the class. Instead, we should find someone else to teach our class (??) or post a video (very practical for discussion-based classes). But we also need to make sure we are continuing to have high expectations for students because we need to meet accreditation requirements, students needs to pass their national exam, etc. We successfully taught 95% of classes on Zoom last year.

This information was shared yesterday (Friday) and class starts Monday. It's going to be a long semester.

[Caracal]

We were informed that if we are not able to teach in-person (e.g., mild case of COVID, young children quarantined from school), we are NOT allowed to use Zoom to remotely meet with the class. Instead, we should find someone else to teach our class (??) or post a video (very practical for discussion-based classes). But we also need to make sure we are continuing to have high expectations for students because we need to meet accreditation requirements, students needs to pass their national exam, etc. We successfully taught 95% of classes on Zoom last year.

This information was shared yesterday (Friday) and class starts Monday. It's going to be a long semester.

I would interpret that to mean that if I have to miss class I'm going to give some sort of set of questions to answer based on some sort of reading, post a five minute video giving any necessary context and explaining the assignment and call it a day.

[pepsi_alum]

Yeah, the idea that faculty are going to step up and teach each other's classes due to Covid absences is just not realistic, unless you're at a school that already has formal substitute system (some CCs do). Fortunately, my current school is not pushing anything like this, but I could easily imagine my last place coming up with a hare-brained "solution" like that.

My classes this semester are in-person. Fortunately, we have a mask mandate here. I'm teaching mostly in lecture format, with class activities posted online so that they can be either/or (that is, either do the activity in class or do at home on your own time).  I'm not totally thrilled with the setup, but it's far better than HyFlex or Remote teaching, and if we do have to pivot to online later in the term, I can do so relatively painlessly.

[kiana]

We were informed that if we are not able to teach in-person (e.g., mild case of COVID, young children quarantined from school), we are NOT allowed to use Zoom to remotely meet with the class. Instead, we should find someone else to teach our class (??) or post a video (very practical for discussion-based classes). But we also need to make sure we are continuing to have high expectations for students because we need to meet accreditation requirements, students needs to pass their national exam, etc. We successfully taught 95% of classes on Zoom last year.

This information was shared yesterday (Friday) and class starts Monday. It's going to be a long semester.

wat

Why is posting a video better than teaching over zoom and making the recording available???

Who comes up with this crap???

[bopper]

UGA Professor Resigns in Middle of Class After Student Refuses to Wear Mask Properly

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/08/uga-professor-resigns-mask-georgia-university.html

[the_geneticist]

We were informed that if we are not able to teach in-person (e.g., mild case of COVID, young children quarantined from school), we are NOT allowed to use Zoom to remotely meet with the class. Instead, we should find someone else to teach our class (??) or post a video (very practical for discussion-based classes). But we also need to make sure we are continuing to have high expectations for students because we need to meet accreditation requirements, students needs to pass their national exam, etc. We successfully taught 95% of classes on Zoom last year.

This information was shared yesterday (Friday) and class starts Monday. It's going to be a long semester.

I'd bet a lot of money that these "solutions" are from upper admin folks who don't teach. 
I'm a fan of malicious compliance (if you are senior enough to swing it). Send an email to ask who you should ask to cover each class and who you will be covering if they are sick.  If they want you to follow this plan, then make them figure out the complicated logistics. 
Or just ignore it and do what makes sense for you and your students.

[mamselle]

"Malicious compliance..." Hmm...what a tasty phrase, like a spice used judiciously, of course.

There's a separate thread on this:

UGA Professor Resigns in Middle of Class After Student Refuses to Wear Mask Properly

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/08/uga-professor-resigns-mask-georgia-university.html

Here:

   http://thefora.org/index.php?topic=2550.0

M.

[wwwdotcom]

Or just ignore it and do what makes sense for you and your students.

This is my plan.

[OneMoreYear]

We were informed that if we are not able to teach in-person (e.g., mild case of COVID, young children quarantined from school), we are NOT allowed to use Zoom to remotely meet with the class. Instead, we should find someone else to teach our class (??) or post a video (very practical for discussion-based classes). But we also need to make sure we are continuing to have high expectations for students because we need to meet accreditation requirements, students needs to pass their national exam, etc. We successfully taught 95% of classes on Zoom last year.

This information was shared yesterday (Friday) and class starts Monday. It's going to be a long semester.

wat

Why is posting a video better than teaching over zoom and making the recording available???

Who comes up with this crap???

I wonder if the rule about not using Zoom is to prevent professors from pivoting classes to remote instruction for the semester.  That seems to be the reasoning here. There are a lot of hoops to jump through here if you want to be remote.

[mamselle]

The amount of Krazy Kool-Aid being served must be gagging those of reasonable intelligence and good faith.

I'm so very glad no-one approached me about adjuncting in the past two years.

My online teaching is perfect and I don't have any of the awful choices people are facing to deal with.

In fact, when I first saw the title of this thread, to wit:

   Re: What would be a reasonable approach to classroom teaching in the fall?

My intended response was going to be:

   Don't. Just don't.

I realize not all have that option. But sheesh...

M.

[Puget]

My intended response was going to be:

   Don't. Just don't.

I realize not all have that option. But sheesh...

M.

Sorry, but I have to strongly disagree with this. COVID is going to be endemic, so unless your end game is to not gather in person forever, you have to take a reasonable approach which minimizes risk but isn't risk free (as nothing in life is). Require vaccination, test and trace, masks in crowded indoor environments when transmission rates are high. We are doing all that and our test positivity rate is 0.10%. We aren't alone in that, so it can be done, and in my view is well worth doing. Online works for some students and faculty, and that's great for them, but for everyone else it is high time to move back to in person.

[mamselle]

Well, yes, I didn't post it at first because I was thinking of all those things, too.

But the Krazy Kool-Aid that is making people require impossible things of instructors with no concern for their health, needs, or general well-being is really stretching the good will that reasonable people folks have been trying to apply all along the way.

Just sayin'. 

M.