With the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the globe, the CDC is urging American institutions of higher education to respond accordingly. Temple University has moved all courses online for Spring 2020 and will continue to teach online for Summer I 2020.  As a university, we need to help students maintain progress in completing their spring coursework. We also need to begin planning to design and teach pedagogically sound courses in Summer I.

In order to assist you in completing the spring semester online and in preparing to design and teach a summer course online, The Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT) has prepared this guide to help you make this transition. 

The CAT is here to help! We have moved online, but not out of reach!

Our EdTech team and faculty developers will be available to support you as you teach online.

Faculty developers can help you think about how to design an effective course online, decide on alternative assessments that work in an online environment, rethink assignments for the online space or generate new and innovative ways to deepen student learning. Developers can also help you brainstorm solutions to your stickier problems and act as a sounding board while you make pedagogical decisions. 

Educational technology specialists can help you identify the right tools to accomplish your teaching tasks online, and then learn how to use these tools. They can show you how to maximize Canvas, Zoom and VoiceThread to create interactive, engaging, and collaborative online environments. They can show you how to record your lectures, use screencasting, proctoring and polling solutions, and conduct office hours virtually.

Looking for development on online teaching?

The CAT's new Teaching Online Short Course for Faculty will give you the tools you need to help you develop an online course from scratch!

Have a quick question? 

• Call us at 215-204-8761 during our regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m to 5 p.m. Our specialists are still there on the other side of the phone line.
• Email cat@temple.edu and a CAT staff member will answer your questions via email or get back to you to set up an appointment.
• Visit our Zoom Drop-in EdTech Lab, a virtual lab that will be staffed by educational technology specialists during our regular business hours and at select evening and weekend times.
• Get 24/7 support for Canvas and Zoom.

Looking for an in-depth conversation or individual support?

• Schedule an online consultation with one of CAT’s faculty developers or educational technology specialists during our normal business hours, in the evening or on the weekend.
• Faculty in your college or school have volunteered to help their colleagues. Browse their special COVID-19 Transition office hours and reach out to them to schedule an appointment via Zoom.

Still need assistance?

• CAT has webinars all week long to help you move your courses online successfully.
• Don’t forget all of the resources available to you on this website.