Prepare for Flu-Related Absences

Issue 44, Fall 2009

by John Farquhar

Health care officials are urging schools and businesses to be flexible this winter with regard to flu-related absences. While a school closure is not likely, you may want to be prepared in the event that you or your students are unable to attend your class due to flu. Below are suggestions and tools that may be of some assistance.

Prepare a Communications Plan

• Alert your students on your methods for communicating course content, making announcements and any changes in the class schedule. If using email, remind your students to regularly check their official university email address.
• Present your policy on absences and making-up late work.

Place Class Materials Online

• Distribute course content and links to other online resources via Blackboard or your class website.
• Record your lectures and classroom presentations using our automated recording system or through digital recorders which can be borrowed from ATUS Classroom Services.
• Create narrated PowerPoint presentations using an inexpensive USB microphone.
• Record other desktop demonstrations using screencasting software.

Prepare Alternate Discussion Methods

• Arrange to have you and/or others conference into your live class via a speaker-phone.
• Create online discussions using Blackboard’s forum or blogging tools.
• Provide group discussion areas within your Blackboard course site.

Engage and Assess through Online Activities

• Collect assignments, perform testing and report grades via Blackboard.
• Support group activities through the file exchange and wiki tools within Blackboard.
• Review statistics and enable tracking and status reviews for content within Blackboard.

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