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We will update this page with new communications throughout the semester.

Table of Contents

Past Updates

AUGUST 25, 2020

Taking Small Bites

With the semester under way, we would like to start with a simple message: We are here for you. The faculty support team is here to help with any teaching or technological issues you might encounter. You can contact experts from Information Technology Services, the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, and the Center for Online and Digital Learning by emailing help@syr.edu. Working together, we will help you succeed.

Much like a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step, you will thrive this semester by making gradual progress. In a new post on the Online Success Toolkit, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence Director Martha Diede shares recommendations for taking “small bites” to adapt to new teaching modalities:

  • Pause. While teaching, taking breaks is an opportunity for students to catch up on their note-taking and to take a stretch break. Pausing a little longer after asking students a question also gives them time to think through their answers.
  • Use a table of contents. At the beginning of each class, ask your students what they hope to learn that day. Write down a bulleted list of your plan and include some of the students’ ideas. As you move through the list, check off the ideas as you discuss them.
  • Use free recall. In free recall, you have students put away notes or slides and give them three minutes to recall the three most important points from your previous mini-lecture. This technique allows students to practice recalling material from your class and gives you a chance to re-set in order to move ahead.

A more technical note for Zoom class sessions: Please remind your students to log in to their Syracuse University Zoom accounts before joining a meeting. This will ensure they are able to join the class as authorized users.

These are just a few suggestions for getting the most out of your teaching time. For additional ideas and support, we encourage you to take advantage of these online coaching and consultation opportunities: 

Have a great semester! We’ll be with you every step of the way.

AUGUST 20, 2020

Logistics for the First Week of Classes

The first day of school always brings a mix of excitement and nerves. This semester, the usual concerns of figuring out the best way to get to your classroom or when and where to eat lunch take on added complexity.

Some things to consider:

  • If you are driving to campus, where are you parking?
  • If you are taking the bus to campus, which bus do you need to catch (and when and where)?
  • Which route will you take to get to your office or classroom once you’re on campus?
  • When and where will you eat your lunch?

Taking the time to plan out such seemingly small details will save you stress as the semester begins. If you haven’t already, visit maps.syracuse.edu to plan your routes around campus. You also can check the latest Centro bus schedule information.  

As a reminder, please communicate with your students regarding your syllabus, your expectations for their technology and which students will attend in person on which days. If you have the opportunity, visit the classroom(s) in which you’ll teach this semester to get comfortable with the surroundings and the technology.

In addition, please review our Fall 2020 Technology Update, which summarizes key resources designed to help you thrive this semester. The faculty support team—which comprises representatives from Information Technology Services, the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and the Center for Online and Digital Learning—is here to support you at every step. You can contact help@syr.edu for any questions about teaching or teaching with technology.

Please also remember these online coaching and consultation opportunities: 

We look forward to working with you.

AUGUST 18, 2020

Students Are Back and Ready to Learn

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We look forward to working with you.

JULY 21, 2020

There Is Still Time to Sign Up for Fall Course Transition Services

With the semester a month away, we encourage you to take advantage of the Fall Course Transition Services available until Aug. 3 through Syracuse University’s partnership with Blackboard. As a refresher:

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We look forward to working with you.

JULY 9, 2020

Four Steps to Jump-Starting Your Fall Course Transition

With the start of the fall semester less than seven weeks away, we wanted to share four steps to getting started with the Fall Course Transition Services available through Syracuse University’s partnership with Blackboard:

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This is not the semester that anyone envisioned. We realize that everyone’s situation is slightly different in terms of family, resources and more. Even so, please remember that you are not alone—we are all in this together. We look forward to helping you make the best of a challenging situation.

March 12, 2020

To support the transition to online course delivery effective at the end of the academic day on Friday, March 13, we will continue to send regular communications to ensure you have the most up-to-date information related to online teaching and learning. If you haven’t already, please bookmark the Academic Continuity Resources toolkit available at at Syracuse.edu/coronavirus/academic-continuity.

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