Plan for Continuity of Instruction (ORCP)

The Division of Academic Affairs is committed to ensuring that neither instructional effectiveness nor the safety of our faculty, staff or students is compromised as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  In order to facilitate the ability to comply with NCCU Health and Safety protocols related to COVID-19, as well as the University of North Carolina System-Wide Guidelines for Return to Classes/Operations, emphasis is on minimizing the number of courses and course sections taught in a face-to-face format. Instruction in at least 50% of all courses and course sections will be delivered entirely online, with the next greatest percentage of courses being delivered in a hybrid format: partly online and partly face-to-face.

At a minimum, every course will have a presence, including a course syllabus and related documents, in Blackboard, or in the case of the School of Law, a comparable e-learning platform. Regardless of the instructional delivery mode, the inclusion of an alternative syllabus, designed by the Office of E-Learning to facilitate a rapid transition to online instruction, is also required for courses taught face-to-face and in hybrid mode. A sample of the alternative syllabus is provided. Chairs or deans will confirm with the Office of the Provost that this requirement has been met.

Decisions about the instructional delivery mode (online, hybrid, or face-to-face) will continue to be made by the department chair and dean in consultation with the faculty member scheduled to teach the course. Factors to be considered in making this decision include but are not limited to:

• Adaptability of the course content, including laboratory and/or clinical components, for delivery using an online platform and feasibility of delivering the content using this platform
• Faculty request to teach online due to COVID-19 related risk factors
• Faculty preparedness for teaching online or hybrid courses, as determined by the department chair in collaboration with the Office of e-Learning
• Compliance with applicable accreditation guidelines

According to the University of North Carolina System-Wide Guidelines for Return to Classes/Operations, class size in courses/course sections is determined by room capacity and the ability to distance students a minimum of three feet apart. In addition to achieving social distancing in face-to-face courses, there is a need to ensure thorough cleaning between class sessions. To achieve this, the following measures will be taken:

• Classroom locations will be evaluated to determine the course enrollments that would not meet the capacity requirement.
• Classes with enrollment that exceeds capacity requirements will be evaluated to determine alternate instructional plans, including subdividing course sections and rescheduling classes to a time that has fewer in-person classes.

Each department will develop a contingency plan for a rapid transition of courses in this category from the traditional instructional delivery mode to an alternative instructional delivery mode. A copy of this plan will be retained in the appropriate dean’s office and the Office of the Provost.

To support instructors in maintaining instructional continuity, the Office of e-Learning has developed the NCCU Online Course Development Training. This training was designed for all NCCU instructors to empower and prepare them for the potential need to transition to an online or hybrid environment and will provide a detailed overview of the course design and instructional best practices expected of NCCU online courses, as articulated in the NCCU Online Course Development Checklist.

This training provides detailed support in the following areas:

1. Communicating Success
   1. Communicating with Your Learners
   2. Communicating Online Learning Expectations
   3. Providing Consistent Support
   4. Identifying Academic and Student Support Resources
2. Online Instructional Materials
   1. Incorporating Lectures
   2. Utilizing Microsoft Word, PDF, and Textbook Readings
   3. Integrating Multimedia
   4. Supplementing with Open Educational Resources (OER)
3. Interaction and Engagement
   1. Engaging Learners with Discussion
   2. Incorporating Peer-Review Activities
   3. Reimagining Lab and Performance-Based Activities
4. Online Assessment
   1. Incorporating Tests, Quizzes, and Exams
   2. Employing Assignments and Projects
   3. Utilizing Presentations and Psychomotor-Based Demonstrations
5. Universal Design
   1. Promoting Ease-of-Use through Course Navigation
   2. Utilizing Multimedia That Support Diverse Learners
   3. Identifying Services and Resources to Support Students and Faculty
   4. Promoting Online Neurodiversity and Inclusion

The Division of Extended Studies has developed a wealth of resources to support NCCU faculty and students in the transition to online or hybrid learning. The Student Online Learning Preparedness Checklist includes information about what students should do to prepare for online instruction, how to access courses within Blackboard, and class participation in the online environment, as well as tutorials for tools their instructors may use.

For faculty, the Division of Extended Studies provides Blackboard training, Instructional Continuity Virtual Drop-in Sessions, the Online Teaching Preparedness Checklist, and the NCCU Instructional Continuity Community Board. Here, faculty will find additional resources for themselves and their students to facilitate online instruction. The Office of E-Learning has also developed the NCCU Instructional Continuity Lesson, which includes information that will assist faculty in continuing instruction in an online or hybrid environment. To accelerate and facilitate the instructional transition, the Office of E-Learning has developed a Blackboard Course shell for modifying face-to-face courses to be delivered in an online or hybrid environment. Within the course shell, there are sections to upload modified course syllabi, instructor information, and designated locations for faculty to upload assignments, articles, PowerPoints, and other materials into weekly folders or modules for their students.

In addition to the training provided by the Office of e-Learning, Information Technology Services provides training and consultation on University systems that can be used to enhance face-to-face, hybrid or fully online courses. These systems include enterprise collaboration tools such as WebEx, Office 365, Google, virtual software environments (VMware) and other classroom technologies. Information Technology Services provides additional resources for remote access on their website and through their Knowledge Base.

A task force comprised of members from the Division of Academic Affairs, Information Technology Services, Student Affairs, and Administration and Finance as well as faculty representatives has been charged with assessing the technology needs and making recommendations. The task force will make recommendations in the following areas:

• Student access to technology, including equipment and internet access
• Faculty access to technology, including equipment and internet access
• Classroom technology needed to enhance the capability of delivering instruction in a hybrid format, including live streaming of classes

Additional details are provided in the section titled "Technology Task Force Plans and Recommendations."

Plans for study-abroad programs are provided in the section titled "International Affairs and Study Abroad."

Faculty delivering instruction on campus will be required to comply with all established health and safety protocols.