Trinity Online:  Trinity Policies for Teaching and Learning in the Virtual Modality

Definitions:  Teaching and Learning Modalities

• Face-to-Face – traditional class with on-campus instruction in a classroom.
• Hybrid – a blend of face-to-face on campus instruction and one of the online options.
• Synchronous Online – the course has required and scheduled delivery of instruction through a video conference tool such as Zoom on the days and times of scheduled class sessions.
• Synchronous Online with Asynchronous Components– the course has at least some amount of required and scheduled delivery of instruction through a video conference tool such as Zoom on days and times of scheduled class sessions, mixed with asynchronous instruction.
• Asynchronous Online – the course is delivered asynchronously online through Moodle. With few special exceptions, fully asynchronous courses are offered only in Continuing Education. All other courses have synchronous components.

Note: Synchronous means that teaching/learning happens in real time; i.e. the instructor and students “meet” together. Asynchronous means that there is no scheduled/required real-time interaction between instructor and all students. Fully asynchronous classes are offered only in Continuing Education.

Trinity understands that courses offered fully on-line may include a variety of pedagogical approaches, including hybrid and asynchronous components; however, Trinity’s expectations are for active, engaged learning that includes opportunities for class interaction and experience.  Trinity’s expectations, therefore, are that all classes will include synchronous components and no courses should be offered in fully asynchronous modality.

Use of Technology

Trinity has an institutional license for Zoom and this is the supported platform for all synchronous online instruction. To ensure a consistent educational experience for students, faculty should not conduct synchronous online classes using any other platforms (Google Meet, Teams, etc.)

Other technology platforms (e.g. Kahoot, Mentimeter, Flipgrid, and Screencast) may all be used, if there are no fees for the student. NOTE: Technology Services will not be able to offer support for faculty or students with respect to these technologies.

Online/Hybrid Courses

For online/hybrid courses, instructors meet synchronously using digital technology (i.e. Zoom) at the scheduled class times and interact asynchronously using Moodle and other online or independent learning activities.

Synchronous Online Policies

Instructors using Zoom as a significant part of class instruction are required to attend a training in advance, to provide basic instructions to students in syllabi, and to adhere to all policies related to Zoom set out in this document.

When holding synchronous online class sessions, use the Zoom external tool activity in Moodle; instructions are on the Technology Services website.

Synchronous online class sessions must be held during the time the class is scheduled as per the official class schedule posted in self-service.

Asynchronous Online Policies

In the case of instructors utilizing asynchronous online options as part of their virtual pedagogy for teaching and learning, synchronous portions of the class must be held during scheduled class times. Additionally, instructors should be available to students via Skype for Business or Zoom during all scheduled class times and during standard, published office hours.

Face-to-face Courses

For faculty who teaching any face-to-face on-campus components, most classrooms are equipped with a high-definition camera mounted to a tripod and attached to the classroom’s computer. Instructors may use this to capture the class and live stream and/or record the session.  Those who intend to utilize this option are required to attend a training with Technology Services in advance, and to adhere to all policies related to Zoom and recording class sessions set out in this document.

 Office Hours

Obligations to students remain the same whether a class is on-campus, virtual, or a combination, including office hours. Faculty should post and be available during the same number of office hours that they normally have each semester: two office hours for each class taught with a minimum of six hours a week.

These office hours may be held on-campus, but students taking classes virtually should also be able to access office hours via Zoom. Faculty may set up a Zoom link to use as drop-in, open office hours or may use Starfish to schedule office-hours by appointment.

Taking and Recording Attendance

The definition of “attendance” will vary depending on whether the class is synchronous online or hybrid and is at the discretion of the instructor. Examples of attending in an online class include being present for synchronous online lectures, engaging in forum discussion, submitting reflections/completing quizzes, or other indicators of engagement and activity. Prior to the start of the semester, instructors must describe how “attendance” will be described, and ensure that this is communicated clearly to students, including on the syllabus statement. Instructors must continue to follow Trinity policy regarding recording attendance in Moodle. This means recording each student’s attendance in Moodle each week, even if attendance is not part of their grade in the class. Enrollment Services must verify student’s attendance for all class sessions, even those that do not meet synchronously, in order to disperse financial aid and complete required federal compliance reporting.

For class sessions meeting synchronously via Zoom, instructors may ask students to show their face at the start of class in order to verify their attendance. Instructors should be visible on camera for a significant portion of the class period.

NOTE: Please see the policy below regarding not requiring students to be present on camera for the whole class.

Policies Related to Zoom

Instructors should carefully review resources made available by Technology Services to ensure that they are adhering to all Zoom security best practices.

Instructors should seek to create a warm and welcoming online classroom environment where students feel comfortable joining their class with video, but they may not require students to be present on camera for class, beyond the need to take attendance.

If an instructor intends to record synchronous online class sessions they should include the following statement in the syllabus and ensure that students are made aware of this at the beginning of the semester: “Live class sessions in this course will be recorded and made available in Moodle.” As a matter of good practice, faculty should also remind students at the start of each session that they will be recorded.