What to Expect and How to Be Prepared
As we prepare for another semester of face-to-face instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, this page will help faculty plan and prepare to enter the classroom and support their students.
The following resources have been made available to assist you as you build a strong course and classroom environment that will allow both you and your students to thrive.
Resources
COVID-19 Classroom Guidance for Faculty
The Office of the Provost has outlined clear expectations and guidance for faculty on face-to-face classroom instruction for the spring 2022 semester.
The syllabus is arguably the most important document you give your students. It provides a roadmap for your course and sets class guidelines. This resource provides a syllabus template to help you craft a strong document for your course.
Helping Our Students Stay on Track
TLI has compiled a list of tips, resources, and practices to help students stay on track if they need to miss class due to illness. Thank you to campus partners such as the Office of Information Technology, the Division of Student Success, the Office of Online Learning & Academic Programs, and the UT Library for their contributions. We welcome additional information as well. New tips and resources can be submitted to tli@utk.edu.
Practices for Setting Clear Class Expectations
With the newness of the college classroom for some and the various emotions surrounding the return to the classroom for many, it is more important than ever to ensure that your students know what is expected of them in your class. This document provides useful suggestions for establishing clear and open communication between you and your students to help eliminate confusion and give your students a sense of stability.
Strategies to Implement & Practices to Avoid: Setting Class Expectations for Your Students
In addition to the resource above, this webpage offers some practical strategies for implementation and issues to keep in mind when establishing expectations for your classroom.
Maintaining students’ engagement can be challenging in the best of times. With the return to the classroom, keeping students focused may be a bit more difficult than usual. These lecturing techniques can help you maintain student engagement throughout your class.
A flipped classroom is a teaching model that reverses the typical lecture and homework elements. This practice is excellent for engaging students and supporting them in taking ownership of their own learning.
Providing students time to process their learning can also help students adjust to the learning environment. These reflection activities are designed to be completed alone and provide a way to keep your students engaged and increase their learning.
Building Community in Online Environments
This document outlines six strategies to help increase socialization in online learning environments but can also be used in the face-to-face environment. Working to build community can help with students’ sense of belonging and help them make social connections they may feel they missed out on last year.