Faculty will have the option to teach their courses  online, blended, hybrid, or face-to-face. Online, blended, and hybrid  teaching options include synchronous and asynchronous delivery, and faculty choosing either option must adapt their courses accordingly. 

Students are expected to review the course delivery methods and choose the option that best first their needs. For example, students who are uncomfortable attending face-to-face courses should opt for online courses instead. The Division of Information Technology is providing lecture-capture technology for several classrooms on campus. If a student enrolled in a face-to-face course has to self-isolate, you will need to make sure your in-class presentations are recorded and uploaded for access by students.

The Student Success Center will provide both tutoring and supplemental instruction virtually. See the drop down for academic support on the Covid-19: Campus Access and Student Resources page.

In general, the academic integrity expectations of in-person learning transfers to remotely delivered content. See the resources on  the Academic Integrity page.  

Faculty teaching online are also encouraged to develop alternative ways of evaluation (e.g., papers, take-home exams, quizzes or exams through Blackboard that do not need proctoring, etc.).

If you are teaching a face-to-face or synchronous online course (meeting at specified times every week), the registrar has assigned a time period for your final exam, and that time can be used as the starting point for the final exam.

For courses that are completely asynchronous, you have more flexibility in when you administer your final exam. In either situation, instructors should be flexible when administering a final exam, considering that students may be in a different time zone or country, perhaps with limited or shared access to the internet or to a computer.

Please be aware that final exams cannot be administered or due on Reading Day or during the last week of classes. It is recommended that instructors not schedule an asynchronous exam in a tightly limited time period during the final exam period because of possible conflicts with synchronous courses (see the Registrar for synchronous exam schedule). For example, your final exam should not be scheduled on Monday from 9am-11:30am, rather it should be open for a window of one to two days even if the exam itself is limited to 2.5 hours. Blackboard testing tools can help to ensure the integrity of the exam. For more information on how best to utilize Blackboard for creating an exam review the Blackboard Basics page.

Instructors have use of Respondus LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor or ProctorU for exam proctoring.

• Respondus LockDown Browser locks down the testing environment within Blackboard.
• Respondus Monitor uses the student’s webcam and video analytics to prevent academic dishonesty. Respondus offers training webinars for instructors on how to use their products and other resources for both instructors and students including quick start guides. It is recommended that instructors share instructions with students if they choose to use Respondus.  Respondus Monitor is available for unlimited use and there is no charge to students to use the service.
• ProctorU allows students to take exams at times and locations that are convenient to them. ProctorU's services are accessed using a computer equipped with a webcam and internet connection, ProctorU verifies the student's identity, records the testing session, and has every testing session reviewed by a certified proctor to ensure integrity. An $8-14 fee for online proctoring, depending on the length of the exam, is paid by students directly to ProctorU during their exam. Instructors wishing to register an exam in ProctorU should contact Shannon Carson in the Office of Distributed Learning at scarson@mailbox.sc.edu. ProctorU resources including guides for faculty and students as well as recommended language to include in the syllabus to inform students of the test proctoring fee can be found on the Office of Distributed Learning Test Proctoring page.

Be aware that not all students have access to a webcam and the University does not have the ability to provide this technology.

• The Division of information Technology and the Thomas Cooper Library have collaborated to provide support for students who have limited technology access with a computer and hotspot loan program. The Thomas Cooper Library has a limited supply of Dell 3400s computers with webcams to check out for the academic year. These are available now;  please see here for the hours of Thomas Cooper Library.   Fairly shortly, there will also be hotspots available for loan as well. These will be particularly useful for those students who return to homes without internet availability at Thanksgiving. 
  
  
• For both computers and hotspots, faculty should direct students to the Thomas Cooper Library with their Carolina Card to check out the technology that is needed.  Since there is not an unlimited supply of computers and hotspots, we are relying on faculty, advisors, and professional staff to direct students appropriately. Emails explaining the loan program have also been sent selectively to students who have been identified as having financial challenges.  

Every class is being treated differently, depending upon the needs of the class, the students, the instructor, and the department. Some classes may be taught online, some face-to-face, and some will use a blended or hybrid format that combines in-person instruction with online instruction. The teaching mode for each class will be identified in Self Service Carolina.  If you have any questions about a specific course, please contact your instructor.