Fundamental Question for Massive, Sudden Transition to Online Teaching/Learning

Today, Oct 16 2pm EDT Home base Web Page     Login
Suppose you are a faculty member teaching an on-campus course that has already begun and suddenly find that you cannot meet with your students for the next 3 weeks. What can you do online that would be better than this "generic assignment"?

Generic Assignment
For the next 3 weeks, read, watch, reflect/do, and write a paper - based on the syllabus you have already received for this course.

• Read: Specific selections of text - in books, other printed format, or available on the Web;
• Watch: Videos or other media available on the Web or television;
• Reflect/Do: Answer these questions or do these problems; 
• Write: A paper or report on a topic covered by the readings & media. 

What 3 things could most faculty members learn easily and quickly so they and their students: 

1. Use online options that most experience as worthwhile improvements on the generic assignment described above?
2. Worry less about being embarrassed by their first efforts to teach/learn online under these conditions?

NOTE: These "3 things" would be helpful for almost any efforts to enable and encourage more faculty members to try teaching online for the first time. Even just trying one or two online additions to a course they already teach on campus.