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Hege Library & Learning Technologies

Teaching Modes

This guide provides resources and guidance for faculty around different possible modes of instruction, including face-to-face, hybrid, and online. We will continue to update this guide throughout the summer, so check back for up

Face-to-Face Considerations

You are all experts in face-to-face (F2F) teaching, and don't need general information about teaching in this mode: this page exists to share information about best practices in a post-COVID-19 world, where F2F teaching will look different.

Classroom Considerations

  • Students and instructors will need to be physically distanced in classrooms - seats will be spaced farther apart.
  • Physical distancing requirements will greatly reduce classroom capacities - see the Classroom Social Distancing Data from the Instructional Working Group. Your class may not be able to meet all at once, and you may need to stagger meetings: if that is the case, what plans will you do for students who won't be joining in-person that day?
    • Given the fact that the vast majority of classrooms on campus do not have cameras and microphones that would easily allow for students to join an in-person session virtually: they would have trouble seeing and hearing their peers. One solution you could use involves having in-person students with laptops "Zoom" in their classmates. This turns a F2F course into a sort of hybrid course. 
  • The Health and Safety Task Force is updating the Summer Activity Matrix according to restrictions and our Phase.
  • Small-group activities may be re-envisioned due to physical distancing requirements.
    • In what ways could you make use of existing tools and infrastructure to allow such activities to take place in new ways (such as having students communicate virtually using devices like cellphones, when applicable)?

Equity Considerations

  • Students who rely on lip-reading will not be able to understand masked faculty or students.
  • Consider questions of access to technology: if you are not able to meet with all of your students at one time, and expect students to use technology to join the course in ways other than purely in-person, you will need to survey them beforehand in order to mitigate these access issues, and help connect them with campus resources.
    • Library and Learning Technologies works with faculty to provide devices on extended loan through the Mobile Edge initiative to enable students in need to engage in their coursework.. This includes Mac and PC laptops and tablets. A limited number of laptops with Adobe Creative Cloud are available for students enrolled in courses where Adobe CC is a requirement. All device requests must come through faculty via the Mobile Edge request form.

Contingency Planning

  • What plans do you need to make if a student is unable to come to class for an extended period of time (for example, if they come into contact with someone with COVID-19, and need to quarantine)?
  • What plans do you need to make in case you need to quarantine (teaching online, etc.)? What plans do you need to make in case you get sick?

Teaching Outside

Consideration has been given across campus to spaces that could be adapted for teaching outdoors or in spaces with indoor/outdoor access (such as the Orangerie): for guidance relating to outdoor teaching at Guilford College, please see the Recommendations for Teaching and Learning in Outdoor Spaces from the Provost's Office.

Additional resources:

Resources