Contingency Planning Options

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Consider distance learning options available for developing a contingency plan.

1. Alternative information sharing:

• Post course documents to a faculty web page or Madison Area Technical College Blackboard course.
• Place important messages in text for students to see immediately using the Announcement tool or other features in Blackboard. These announcements can be automatically emailed to students on the class roster.  (Note: You must advise students that you will use this feature and that they have their email activated and regularly check the account.)
• Email students by section or across all sections using the roster available in Madison Area Technical College PeopleSoft Faculty Center
• Use Madison Area Technical College Blackboard
• By phone
• By email
• Use Skype or other Internet communication systems
• Start a Facebook site
• Create a Wiki
• Open a Blog
• Create Google or Yahoo Groups
• *Additional information on how to use these tools is included at the end of this section.

1. Alternative lecture options:

• Post lecture notes and/or study guides to a course web page or Blackboard in PowerPoint, Word or PDF format. (PDF formats are recommended)
• Use assigned readings in lieu of lectures (Madison Area Technical College Libraries are recommended as a source for articles and e-books. If this is an option of choice, the list of materials should be submitted to the library ASAP so it will be ready when needed).
• Create podcasts or other audio/video lecture formats using Adobe Connect, Captivate or other products.

1. Alternative homework submission options:

• Use the Assignment feature in Blackboard for homework submission (students cannot see other students' work).
• Develop online homework questions using the Assignment feature in Blackboard.
• Consider having students email assignments as attachments if this is manageable. You may have to provide instructions about file formats.
• Provide students with an office mailing address for work that needs to be sent via US Postal Service.

1. Examinations:

• Post and collect take-home exams via web pages or Blackboard or allow students to submit completed exams using other online options such as email attachments.
• Use the Blackboard Assignment tool feature to develop online quizzes and exams.
• Provide students with an office mailing address for work that needs to be sent via US Postal Service.

   

1. Alternative discussion session options:

• For online discussion forums, use Blackboard.
• Use a social networking site such as Facebook
• Create a Wiki
• Use an email listserv for discussions. You can email students from PeopleSoft Faculty or Blackboard if they have an activated Madison Area Technical College email address.  You can create a contact/distribution group in Outlook using any valid email address the student provides.
• Use the Message Board feature in Madison Area Technical College Blackboard for asynchronous discussions (for example posting a Question of the Day and requiring responses, seeding discussion questions and letting students post comments).

   

1. Hold distance office hours:

• Use Madison Area Technical College Blackboard
• By phone
• By email
• Use Skype or other Internet communication systems
• Facebook
• Wikis
• Blogs
• Google or Yahoo Groups

   

1. Alternative grading considerations:

   Consider modifying some of the ways points are assigned. If attendance is a requirement and there are associated points with attendance or in-class participation, consider alternatives such as submitting written responses to a question. If points are earned based on in-class presentations or reports or visits to off-campus sites, consider accepting video presentations or written reports as alternatives.

   With grateful acknowledgement of Kansas State, Western College.