Communication with students, both those joining a class in-person and those joining remotely, is essential. Communicate with students early through the syllabus and your Canvas course, and provide opportunities for students to contact you with any questions or concerns they may have about the course. Send regular communications to students (weekly emails, announcements, etc.) with important course updates, upcoming deadlines, course recaps, etc.

Communicate course expectations (learning outcomes, time commitment, participation requirements, deadlines, etc.) to students at the beginning of the semester. On the first day of class, discuss what students are accountable for and what they can come to expect from you. Make it a collaborative effort. Be sure to note what is required, what is optional (no penalty for not doing it), and how students can best work with you for support. Review instructions for assignments and assessments to make sure that they are clear.

Explicitly communicate with students how to interact in the classroom and Zoom settings. This setting (with social distancing if attending classes in person or on Zoom if attending classes remotely) is new for everyone. It is helpful to begin by outlining norms (guidelines) for how to interact in meaningful ways in the classroom environment. Remind students of the expectations in the Oredigger Promise that they signed as well as the information they learned during the COVID-19 training course, “Staying Healthy in a Changing Environment.”