We understand that your lives have or may change in substantive ways with this move to online classes. We recognize that students will be encountering a wide range of circumstances outside of school, as well as with the online learning, and we will be flexible and supportive to the best of our ability.
We ask that you do your best to maintain a positive and engaged attitude. We believe this can be a productive time for personal and professional development as you use fundamental skills that are useful across situations, and learn to work in new digital and collaborative ways. Please be flexible and make the most of these circumstances—as you demonstrate maturity with problem-solving and participation we all take note of those actions and attitudes. Let us know if there are circumstances you are facing that impact your ability in this course.
Courses in this Program will utilize the following online course infrastructure, provided by Drexel University:
- Drexel Email will be the primary channel of communication
- BBLearn will function as the online portal to the course, and will provide access to course documents and resources.
- Zoom will be utilized, at the discretion of course faculty, for online course meetings.
Additional course tools and resources may be provided, but are not required for course participation.
Students are not permitted to record any portion of online class sessions. Sessions may be recorded by faculty for sharing among course participants. No sharing of course content is allowed outside course participants.
It is important to recognize that some or all of the course materials provided to you may be the intellectual property of Drexel University, the course instructor, or others. Use of this intellectual property is governed by Drexel University policies, including the policy found here: https://drexel.edu/it/about/policies/policies/01-Acceptable-Use/
Briefly, this policy states that course materials, including recordings, provided by the course instructor may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or re-posted. Doing so may be considered a breach of this policy and will be investigated and addressed as possible academic dishonesty, among other potential violations. Improper use of such materials may also constitute a violation of the University's Code of Conduct found here: https://drexel.edu/cpo/policies/cpo-1/ and will be investigated as such.
Students are allowed to transform course content into different formats (e.g. a PDF into and audio file) to enhance accessibility. The File Transformer provided by Blackboard Ally allows students to take PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX and HTML files and convert them into a format that works best for their situation. Available transformations are OCRed PDF, Tagged PDF, Audio, HTML, Electronic braille, ePub, and Beeline Reader. For more information and to get started processing content, go to: https://ally.ac/covid19/
Grading in this Program during the Spring 2020 term will take into account the potentially complicated circumstances and limited resources of course participants.
Faculty will endeavor to respond to all communication in a timely way (within 24 weekday hours). Students are likewise asked to respond promptly to communication (within 24 weekday hours). If issues with communication arise, please contact the Graduate Assistant or Program Director.
To better enhance the online learning environment for both students and professors, students should be active participants in online class sessions and keep a positive learning attitude. Glitches may occur (on both ends) and we will work through these together. Please inform your instructor of any special circumstances you may be having so we can work through a solution. Below are some guidelines to keep the online sessions rewarding for all.
- Keep cell phone ringers off; turn off audible notifications
- Email and social media should not be used during class sessions
- Select a place for the ZOOM class sessions that is appropriate (and tidy) for public audiences
- Dress appropriately for class
- Eating during the ZOOM class session is prohibited
- Proper academic/professional language is to be used for all sessions
- Please keep your ZOOM video and audio on for all sessions
- Please keep your microphone on Mute during lectures and presentations by other students
- Use ZOOM tools (chat, raise hand, share screen, etc.) as requested by the instructor
Westphal College is providing information and resources via the following websites:
- https://drexel.edu/westphal/about/coronavirus-response/
- https://drexel.edu/westphal/help-docs/covid-19
Drexel University is providing information and resources via the following website:
Shannon Robinson is our dedicated college librarian and is available for appointments through the library resource guide:
College print, computer, and making facilities will not be available during the spring term.