Here is a list of resources that might come in handy for our switch to online learning. (I’ll update periodically.)
Office hours:
HERE is our Slack channel for virtual office hours (Mondays 2-4pm) and any other time you want to post a question or share info with each other.
Wednesday “normal class” discussion:
Here is a Zoom link to join class discussion on Wednesdays from 12:50-2:05pm: https://baruch.zoom.us/my/profhershinow
This link will work every time (but only if I’m already online). You’ll need a password, which has been emailed to you. If you haven’t received it, please let me know. I’ll record and post these. If you can’t make it, you can contribute by commenting below the post.
Some tips:
- If you’re breaking up, try two things: 1) use a headset or earphones/earbuds for the audio; this often helps, 2) if you’re still having trouble, turn off your video and just use audio.
- If you’re unable to watch the discussion in a quiet place, you can mute your audio and contribute with the chat function. I’ll be monitoring throughout.
Books:
Instructions from Broadview Press for accessing free online copies of our course materials if you’re unable to access your own:
https://broadviewpress.com/covid-19/
And here’s the plan I emailed out when this all began. I’ll add any changes here and also announce them by email:
Jane Austen: Move to Remote Delivery
For now, we are on a class recess, which will give faculty enough time to move materials online and get tech support. It will also give you a chance to settle into new routines. Classes will resume on 3/19 and will be taught online for the remainder of the semester.
GRADING:
For now, all formal graded assignments will remain the same, as will deadlines. Of course, we’ll move to entirely electronic submission. Please try to submit assignments in Microsoft Word or Google docs, if possible. (Those platforms give me the best options for leaving comments.) If I make any changes to these formal assignments, I’ll let you know well in advance and in writing.
NOTE: If you submitted essay 3 in hard copy online, please submit an electronic copy to me if possible so that I can return comments.
The biggest difference we’ll see is that the participation portion of your grade will necessarily need to change, as will (obviously) the mode of instruction. I consider our discussions to be the most valuable part of class, so believe me when I say that I take this shift very seriously. There’s no good way to replicate this, but we’re going to do what we can and be as flexible as we can be. This will involve some adjustments as we proceed.
OUR PLAN:
Our primary home will be our course blog. If you haven’t already, please confirm that you can access it by leaving a comment on the post on the homepage.
In case the course blog goes down or has too much traffic, I’ll also keep all of our materials in a Dropbox folder and will share that folder with you.
One synchronous (together at the same time) meeting per week:
At least for now, I’m hoping we can try to have one full class discussion a week with as many of us present as possible. What that means is that one day a week (Wednesday, from 12:50-2:05, as usual), we’ll have a group discussion on a videoconferencing platform, probably Zoom. (I’m trying out a few platforms now and will post instructions on our blog.) If this becomes logistically impossible, we will regroup.
One asynchronous (flexible) meeting per week:
I will then post an assignment or discussion prompt on the course blog by the end of the day on Thursday, to be completed before the next class (by Monday evening; I’ll make deadlines clear in each post). For those, I’ll be posting short videos (not full, hour-long lectures) or other multimedia materials, along with discussion questions and activities. You’ll interact mostly by commenting or writing your own posts. We may do some collective annotation of passages.
To begin, this means I’ll post the first online assignment on 3/19, to be completed by the end of the day on Monday, 3/23. (I’ll also email a reminder when I post it.) And we’ll try out our first synchronous meeting on Wednesday 3/25. As of now, the midterm is still due by the end of the day on 3/20, but please let me know if your circumstances mean that you’ll require extra time.
I will also hold virtual office hours (for now, Monday 2-4pm), probably through Slack. (I’ll post instructions on the course blog.) You can, of course, email me at any time, but these office hours will be times when I am available to respond especially quickly.
I realize for some of you this change will mean familiarizing yourself with new technology. I will be using a mixture of platforms I’ve used in online teaching previously and others that are new to me. Please bear with me, and I will also be patient with you. It’s a good idea to check your email and the course blog regularly in case plans change.
Your health is important to me. If you become sick or need to take care of loved ones, please take care. If you need to miss classes, we can figure out a way to catch up later. This is a strange time, and I want to be as supportive as possible. Keep in touch and reach out if there’s anything I can do to help.