Across the globe all schools, universities, and colleges are moving classes online, at least temporarily. While initial talks were about reopening the campuses as normal after a few weeks, it is clear that even when the campuses do open back up, it may be some time before we have exclusively on-campus courses again. Having a supplemented course shell with a basic structure simplifies the communication between lecturer and students as well as between students.

Hasty shifts
Take it from Ryan Weber, author of the blog post Welcome to Your Hastily Prepared Online Course, shifting an on campus course to remotely teach it with short notice brings bloopers (speaking of bloopers, here is my favorite blooper video currently).

Supplemented course shells
​Supplemented course shells clearly are essential for all on-campus courses to provide structure for possible emergencies. The benefits to creating a supplemented course shell include:

• the lecturer is familiar with the platform
• the syllabus, course plan, or study guide is always accessible
• students know where to find resources such as documents, slides, videos, and links
• it can point students to other tools used for the course

What to add
The lecturer can add whatever resources they would normally share with their on-campus course in a supplement course shell, particularly resources they want to copy into a future semester. Over time the course can grow into a robust blended course. Be aware of copyright issues and check in with your local campus library if you are uncertain if you can use a resource online or if you are uncertain how to attribute the resource properly.

Discussion boards
Students socialize on campus with peers and the lecturer. When shifting online, the socialization aspect of learning can deteriorate unless the course is designed to include social spaces. Students connect to peers, content, and the lecturer online often through discussion boards. Hopefully by now lecturers who moved on-campus courses online have found benefits to discussion boards, such as  common questions and answers, group work, introductions, etc.

That year online courses became popular
2020 has presented many challenges for education in all sectors. Those already teaching online before 2020 definitely had an edge on those who have never taught online.​ How online courses are designed is very different from the initial 2020 remote courses which had limited if any planning. Therefore, 2020 is not the year to evaluate online education, but rather to question whether future on-campus courses can really exist without at least having a supplemented course shell.

History of mild asthma
When I first moved to Colorado, a mountainous state. I discovered asthma related to altitude by having a massive asthma attack and being hospitalized. Over time and with long distance sports, I eliminate the use of inhalers.

Shortness of Breath
​This past Monday, I started work at 6:30am and had 5 virtual meetings. Three were back to back. Normally this would have been fine, but not last week for some reason.

By 16:00 I was exhausted and had shortness of breath that continued until bedtime (no fever or other symptoms). With shortness of breath, reading 1 chapter of my son's book during story time was difficult.

Below are my reflections and changes I made in remote work as a mom to better balance home and work. As these are personal reflections that fit my situation, these by no means replace medical advice or are a one-size-fits-all solution for others.

Virtual Meetings
People come to virtual meetings with expectations for themselves and for others. Part of self-care is being realistic about expectations you have versus what others have.

Here are a few things to consider regarding potential gaps between expectations and reality:

• Schedule / accept invitations for only 1-3 virtual meetings (I rescheduled 2 this past week)
• Schedule meetings that are no more than 1 hour long
• Have a liquid tea nearby during the meeting
• Ask others to take notes in the chat and share those with the meeting agenda on basecamp or similar
• Advise the participants that the chat feature may also be used
• Don't be afraid to mute yourself or drop camera (and let the host know and mention in the chat that you need to go)

Pairs or Groups
With the current health concerns across the globe, it is possible that others might also get symptoms, but at different times. If paired or grouped in 3, then critical issues can be addressed as peers let each other know when they need naps, rest, lunch, are in other meetings. This enables the team to consider new situations that arise during a pandemic.

Kindness for others
During the past week, colleagues and neighbors have offered various support (all practicing social distancing) such as picking up my inhaler, dropping off groceries, and dropping off a computer screen for my home office. I hope to soon be able to help others as well.

​I feel like a warrior at turtle speed.

My ideal work day is to check emails at home with coffee, walk the dogs, bike my son to school, bike to work, have lunch with my amazing colleagues, continue work on campus, pickup my son, then finish remotely.

Today I was reminded that working from home is making a plan of what you will achieve, nailing part of it, and also being surprised at other things not on your list that are achieved both by you and your child(ren).

Location, location, location
Depending on the meeting or task, I move between locations based on the:

• need a door to close for better sound (aka not having mini me enter...)
• desire to see the flowers in the garden
• desire a better background behind me while speaking in a meeting
• need to charge my battery

After which, I get coffee, let the dogs out or grab a snack.

Parenting during web meetings
There are 2 amazing buttons: mute and stop sharing video. You'll learn when to use either or both.

The mute feature can be used while covering your mouth. This allows you to be engaged in the meeting, while also telling your child to NOT do something, suggesting a next activity for them, agreeing to the snack they picked, etc. You will be amazed at the results on this one.

Suggestions before a web meeting:

• Have liquid by you (coffee, tea, water, or juice)
• Use a headset
• Charge your battery
• Check your lighting
• Check your hair
• Don't wear pyjamas
• Have a backup plan for when your child enters the room, talks, crawls on your lap, etc.​

Feeling connected
While working remotely you can synchronously work on document or be in chat, but there is a completely different feeling when you are able to see and hear your colleagues.

Checklist completed
I am most successful working remotely when I explain to my son what I'm doing, for how long it will take, and what he can do or cannot do while I'm working + what he will gain by listening.

My day feels fulfilled when major tasks are completed. Even more so when I start the day with something I want to do and end with something I enjoy, like writing or reading a good book (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy).

As a parent, you know your family best. Consider working at home with them, not around them in a way that meets your needs and their needs.

As educators are encouraged to move on-campus courses to online formats, new emergency resources and guides are becoming available. While online education tools have been available for some time, designing an online course on the fly is similar to the mad rush for toilet paper during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Questions that arise include: is it necessary? Is it needed? Are there others who need those resources?

Lessons from Winter Wonderland - Being Prepared
Being from the Winter Wonderland of Wisconsin originally, winter preparedness is a standard. Before the first snowfall, locals get essential winter supplies to last 2 weeks - until spring due to freezing temperatures, snow, ice conditions, and/or flu season.

When the first Wisconsin blizzard of the season hits, prepared locals stay home warm by the fire, drinking hot chocolate and reading a good book. For those who don't prepare, the blizzard is chaotic and stressful, similar to those in a mad rush for essentials during emergencies.

Needless to say, I prepare for winter before early December as habit. During college years, I found this to be useful as during the semester I worked less in order to focus on classes; thus I emptied my winter supply annually by summer.

The current on-campus situation across the globe is two-fold:

1. Decide how to better prepare for next time,
2. AND create Plan B

One Size Does NOT Fit All
Let's NOT push all lecturers to live stream their courses or host a web lecture/webinar.

Why? Not every lecturer is ready to host a webinar, show slides/share their screen, respond to chat messages while talking, and record the session. Additionally, their institution may have limited licenses or the tool may have limited seats for participants (their students).

When an instructor asks about synchronous options for remote teaching, it's best to have an open conversation and help them explore needs, resources, and their actual situation to better assist their course and particularly their new remote learners.

Evaluate situation
A lecturer needs time to evaluate solutions their institution supports and the policies in place around the tools (for example: GDPR) in addition to considering their personal situation:

• their home office space (sound, lighting, distractions, etc.)
• software they currently have
• camera, microphone, and speaker options they have
• internet connectivity (their home, their learners, and possible temporary housing situation due to quarantines)
• their time (what do they have time to create, edit, and release to students)
• their student's time
• learning objectives
• activities (synchronous or asynchronous)
  
  

Creating Plan B
Across the globe, institutions are assisting their faculty to create a Plan B. Technische Universiteit Delft (TU Delft) created a Remote Teaching and Learning: Quick Guide for the on-campus lecturers shifting to remote teaching. This is meant for TU Delft specific, but other institutions could benefit from this guide, particularly if they use BrightSpace. Since the guide is an Open Educational Resource (OER), any institution is welcome to modify to fit their institutional situation. Besides tools, the guide provides links to factsheets for video (how to guides) and other helpful links to other articles and other institutional remote guides.

As Willem van Valkenburg, the Executive Director of the Extension School at the TU Delft, describes in his blog post on Remote Teaching and Learning, the TU Delft faculty have support beyond a guide and possible Teaching Assistants. They have Learning Technology Support Officers, Instructional Designers, Learning Developers, coordinators, and student assistants.

Building the Basics - in the future
In the future, more on-campus faculty will likely be eager to take teacher trainings, such as "Build the Basics" and "Plan B: Preparing for Emergency Remote Teaching". Shifting a fully on-campus course online is not easy, but if prepared with a backup plan, there is less chaos and panic. This is different than the TU Delft online course development process which is an excellent resource to building a complete online course in a reasonable timeframe.

As with every emergency situation, we have the opportunity to create Plan B and better prepare for next time rather than diving for the last toilet paper or forcing all learners to attend a live stream of a lecture.